Hidden Secrets
by Jville
Summary: Edited and Reposted Many secrets are revealed. Complete story up. Please read and review.
1. Secert Mission

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of UC Undercover I only borrowed them. All other characters are mine, except for Sab and Andy who gave me permission to use them. If anyone wants to use my characters please ask for permission first.  
  
Chapter One  
  
On a hill above a sprawling mansion compound in Mexico, Elaina and Jake are about to wrap up a case that has taken Elaina years to end. She had been assigned to the case when an agent disappeared. She was sent there to find out what had happened to the agent and who caused it.  
  
She had found that a drug lord had ordered the murder of the agent. The murderer was Diego Santana. At the time he was only the hit man for a drug cartel in Mexico, but over the years he himself became one of the biggest drug lords in South America and Mexico. Now it was time for his rule to end.  
  
Elaina had enough evidence from witnesses and surveillance that would put him away for life, if he weren't given the death penalty. That was the easy part, now she had to get him back to the states for trial. She had worked this case off and on for seven years and now all they had to do was break into the mansion and get out alive.  
  
"Mind telling me again why you didn't want Frank to help?" Jake asked as they were watching the guards below them.  
  
"He doesn't like me doing field work, so when I have to I tell him that I'm going out of the country for a meeting." Elaina replies as she checked the rope for scaling the wall.  
  
"He actually falls for that each time?" Jake had his suspicions that Frank wouldn't believe that every time.  
  
"We better get ready for the guards to change in three minutes." Elaina says to get off the subject.  
  
They watched the guards carefully as they moved toward the outer wall. They saw that as usual the guards talked with one another before changing. Elaina and Sab had checked the security around the compound the past week and noticed that there was a blind spot from the cameras on the east wall of the compound that is where she and Jake were to get in. They scaled the seven-foot wall with no problem at all. As they reached the other side Elaina made contact with Sab.  
  
"How are we doing Sab?" Elaina whispered into her headset.  
  
"Great, the guards haven't noticed anything. Santana is still in his room." Sab informed her.  
  
"I'm glad she's as good as Cody when it comes to tapping into security cameras." Jake said as they entered the house.  
  
"That makes two of us." Elaina said.  
  
"I prefer to be better than Cody." Sab replies back over the headsets.  
  
"Sab."  
  
"Yeah Elaina?"  
  
"Not now."  
  
They continue through the house to the bedroom of Santana.  
  
"Whoa, there's a guard headed right toward you." Sab says as she looks at the monitors. "How far behind us?" Elaina asked in a whisper.  
  
"He's almost there!" Sab's voice was cracking.  
  
Jake found a closet and pulled Elaina into it. It was very small and cramped.  
  
"Jake. I'm not the bad guy get your gun out of my back."  
  
"Sorry not much room in here." He whispered in her ear.  
  
They could now hear the guard outside the door. They held there breath hoping he did not hear them talking.  
  
Sab watched the monitors as the man made his way slowly down the hall to another room. "All clear."  
  
"Let's get this over with." Elaina said as they exited the closet.  
  
They made it to Santana's room. They cautiously enter the room; they see Santana lying asleep on the bed.  
  
Jake puts his gun to Diego's head as Elaina wakes him. She quickly gags and ties him up.  
  
"Hello Diego we meet again." Diego tries to talk around the gag. "What's that? You're happy to see me?" Diego mumbled again. "You're such a sweet talker Diego."  
  
Jake was laughing at the conversation they were having.  
  
"Sab get my brother here pronto!" Elaina orders.  
  
"Okie Dokie." Sab answers.  
  
******  
  
In the helicopter Reese is surprised when he sees Frank coming toward him gun drawn. Frank opens the door of the chopper and climbs in. "Where are we going brother-in-law?"  
  
"How did you find out?" Reese questions.  
  
"I have my ways. Where is she exactly?" Frank kept his gun pointed at him.  
  
Sab's voice came over the radio. "Reese they're in his room, get moving."  
  
"Don't say a word about me being here or you will regret it." Frank orders.  
  
"I'm on my way Sab." He gives Frank the other headset. "If you don't want them to know you're here keep the mic off." As if he had to tell Frank that.  
  
"You never answered my question where are they?" Frank asks again as he puts the headset on.  
  
Reese sighed knowing he couldn't dodge the question again. "Diego Santana's compound, they have orders to bring him back for trial in the states."  
  
"You said they, who is with her?"  
  
"Jake is the only one with her, Sab is over there in the hanger."  
  
"Now she has members of my team lying to me." Frank says it more to himself than to Reese.  
  
"If you don't mind, I have to concentrate on getting them out alive and I could do that a lot better if you'd put that gun away. You may need it later when we get there." Reese says.  
  
Elaina's voice then came over the radio for the first time. "Reese, where the hell are you? We're being fired at."  
  
"I'm about two minutes away." Reese calculated.  
  
"Make it one Reese." Jake says as he takes down another guard.  
  
"Move Diego, you're our shield out of here. If they shoot at me, I want them to hit you first." She made him walk directly in front of her. Jake walked closely to her back watching behind them. He saw movement to his left and he fired at another guard taking him out.  
  
"It's about time!" Jake yells as he sees Reese landing in the courtyard of the mansion. They all run to the helicopter, Elaina is the first to see Frank. "Oh hell!!" she exclaims looking at her husband.  
  
"Oh my God!" Was heard over the radio from Sab. "Guess who's here?"  
  
Elaina spoke to Sab. "My guess is, that it's Cody. You're the lucky one, we have Frank here."  
  
"Alex is here too." It was Cody on the radio instead of Sab.  
  
"You've got a lot of explaining to do." Frank's voice was as icy as his stare.  
  
Jake, Frank and Elaina fired at the guards as Reese flew them away. They landed at the small airfield in Texas that they were using as a base. As they walked from the helicopter they saw Cody, Alex and Sab standing by the hanger with two other agents. Elaina gave Santana to the other agents then turned and saw Frank waiting with the others.  
  
She decides to make a run for the plane to get away from answering to Frank. Frank sees what she is trying to do and takes off after her. He easily catches up to her and stops her.  
  
"You know I'm faster than you." He says as he grabs her.  
  
"I had to give it my best shot." She replies, struggling against his hold on her.  
  
"Why did you lie to me again?" He asks letting her struggle.  
  
"I didn't want you to worry about me." She finally broke free, but not for long, he grabbed her around the waist.  
  
"I worry every time you are away from me, whether it be on a case or shopping."  
  
"I'm a highly trained professional; I can take care of myself in just about any situation." Elaina replies as she tries to loosen his grip.  
  
"You're a highly trained pain in the ass at times." He loosened his hold on her. "As for the situation you're in right this minute, you don't seem to be doing too great." He laughed at her that made Elaina angry. She wrapped her leg around in back of his knee and kicked it out from under him causing them both to fall to the ground.  
  
"Hey you two, do you want me to arrest you for disorderly conduct?" Reese says as he breaks up their fight by picking up Elaina.  
  
"Since when can you arrest anyone?" Frank asks as he got to his feet.  
  
"Since about 1990 actually." Reese winked at Elaina.  
  
"Reese is C.I.A. He's been my best kept secret." Elaina hugs her big brother.  
  
"That's the only family secret you've kept." Frank says knowing that she has told way too much to his team about them already.  
  
"Where are you off to now, Reese?" Elaina inquired.  
  
"Back to big sky country until I get a new assignment."  
  
"Say hello to Hank for us please." Elaina requested.  
  
"I will. When are you guys coming back to Montana?" Reese asks Frank.  
  
"Don't know exactly. It all depends on the answers I get when I interrogate her." Frank replies looking at his wife.  
  
"Well I would love to see her worm her way out of this but I have to be getting back. Go easy on her Frank." Reese says as he heads for his helicopter.  
  
"I'll think about it." They say their goodbyes and watch Reese take off. "Now where were we? Oh yeah, you where just about to tell me why you lied to me again."  
  
"I already did that." Elaina replies.  
  
"I'm talking about Reese now." Frank was angry again.  
  
"He never wanted you to know."  
  
"Then why the confession now?" Frank asks.  
  
"My guess is he did it to try and take some of the heat off of me. If you knew there was more than one agent helping me you wouldn't be as angry." She looked at his expression. "That isn't the case is it? You're still angry with me."  
  
"Damn straight I am. But any more, I think I might as well just be talking to the wind when I talk to you about working outside the office." Frank says to her.  
  
"You got that right. You are not my superior Frank, I'm yours, remember. And I have been at this type of work a lot longer than you have. I know what I'm doing and I can handle cases without your help." Elaina's temper was flaring more.  
  
"I'm tired of you throwing your promotion in my face." He turned away from her to get control of his anger, but it didn't help much with what happened next.  
  
"I only do that when I think you need to be reminded of the fact. Which lately has been often. You had no reason what so ever to come down here. If you ever do something like this again I will see this unit disbanded, and you will be assigned away from me so you can't interfere with my cases."  
  
"Like hell you will! I have just as many friends at the top as you do and I know that the A.G. would never let this team disband no matter who wants it done. As far as my being away from you, if that's the way you want it then Sweetheart you got it!" Frank stormed away from her.  
  
Elaina felt as if he had hit her in the stomach. Alex and Sab walk up to her seeing that she was in shock by what Frank had said and done.  
  
"You two got pretty loud, did you mean what you said?" Alex asks her.  
  
"Yes I did, and I think he did too." Her voice trailed off as she spoke.  
  
"I'm sure that when you both cool off it will be okay." Sab noticed that Elaina was shaking.  
  
Frank went to the plane that was waiting for them. This was one time Frank was glad that they had a private plane. The last thing he wanted was to be bothered with was airport security. He looked at Jake and Cody. "Get everyone on the plane we're going back now."  
  
Jake motioned for Cody to go after the girls. "Donavon, I'm sorry about not telling you but Elaina gave me orders not to." Jake says as they got on the plane.  
  
Frank sat down in a seat after getting something to drink and never looked at Jake to acknowledge he heard him. "You take orders from me not her. Never, ever do this again."  
  
Cody and the ladies got on the plane. Alex was thankful that there was plenty of space to keep Frank and Elaina away from each other in hopes that they would make up after they had time alone. But she was wrong. Elaina stood in front of Frank and took her wedding ring out of her pocket; she acted like she was going to put it on when she threw it in Frank's drink.  
  
"I hope you choke on it!" She says as she walks to her seat.  
  
The others took their seats as the pilot shut the door. "Please buckle up." He says as he headed into the cockpit.  
  
"It's definitely going to be a bumpy ride." Cody says in a whisper that only Sab could hear, which made her punch him in the arm.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?" He asks rubbing his arm.  
  
"Not now."  
  
Frank and Elaina spent the first part of the flight staring at one another not saying a word. The team members kept to themselves not knowing what to say to either of them.  
  
"Elaina doesn't look too well." Alex observes.  
  
"It's probably from the daggers that Frank is throwing at her." Cody replies.  
  
"We've seen them argue before, but this is the worst one yet." Sab notices.  
  
Elaina's nerves then got the best of her and she ran to the restroom. Alex followed to check on her.  
  
"Elaina, are you okay?" She heard her throwing up. "Elaina, I'm here if you need me." Alex went to the bar and got a bottle of water. Frank never made any sign that he was worried about his wife.  
  
Elaina came out looking paler than she did when she went in. Alex held out the water. "Here this might help."  
  
"Thanks Alex but the last thing I want is to put something in my stomach. Maybe later." Elaina forced herself to smile to let her know she was okay for now.  
  
Cody didn't like the fact that Frank was ignoring his wife when she was feeling ill. He walked over to Alex and Elaina. "He must be really pissed off at you to not ask you how you feel."  
  
"Cody I don't care if he is worried or not. I'm fine. I'm just angry, tired and I miss my children." Elaina then realized that Monica had not come with them. "Where is Monica, Cody?"  
  
"She volunteered to stay with the children." He tried to choose his words carefully but it didn't seem to matter how he said it, Elaina would think that Frank had asked Monica to stay.  
  
She walked over to sit next to Frank. He tried to get up but she pulled him back into his seat. "Why did Monica stay behind?"  
  
"Megan is sick so she volunteered to stay with the kids."  
  
"Why didn't you stay with them? Monica is not your private babysitter."  
  
"I said she volunteered I didn't ask her or force her to do it." He got up and went to the next compartment of the plane. Elaina followed him.  
  
"Get away from me E; I'm not in the mood to talk, especially to you."  
  
"While we are on the subject of our children, I would like to tell you that if you are going to hold our daughter, remove your gun or make sure you have a jacket on to cover it. I don't want a repeat performance of the day I left." Elaina stated.  
  
"I didn't have time to take the gun off, she was crying and I automatically picked her up."  
  
"And when she stopped crying and saw your gun she made a grab for it. When you stopped her, she smacked you in the face and tried again. You grabbed her hand and it made her cry out."  
  
"I didn't hurt her; I was barely holding her hand back." Frank protested. "I told her not to touch it. She needs to learn the word no."  
  
"Damn it Frank, she's not old enough to grasp that concept yet. No matter how hard we try to get her to understand the word, she doesn't right now."  
  
He backed her against the wall. "I don't want you to ever accuse me of hurting our daughter. I don't know why you would ever think I could hurt her."  
  
"I never want her that close to a gun ever again whether it is mine or yours, until she is older and can understand better." She tried to move Frank but he wouldn't.  
  
"I agree with you, but if you hadn't decided to take this trip she wouldn't have been upset in the first place. So you are at fault just as much as I am. I want you to tell me when you're on a case before you go, not after the fact." Frank explains.  
  
"Some of my cases are highly classified, I can't tell you every time." Elaina explains herself.  
  
"Nice dodge, but it won't work. I have the same clearance as you remember?" "I'm not promising anything." Elaina wasn't going to give in.  
  
"Don't you ever think about me or the children before you take an assignment?"  
  
"Do you think of us, Frank? Or do you figure we will survive if anything were to happen to you?"  
  
Of course I think of my family before I go but I can't during an assignment, you know that."  
  
"Exactly! I do know that. We married each other knowing the dangers and risks we take day in and day out. I am adventurous, I've always been." Elaina replies. "I can't sit behind a desk and not get involved occasionally, and I know you are the same way."  
  
He moved slightly to let her relax. "Why don't we just agree to disagree? It would save a lot of time and energy. What happened to you earlier?"  
  
"So you do care about me I was wondering there for a while. I guess it was just a case of my nerves getting the best of me." She felt the knot in her stomach again.  
  
He felt her forehead. "I don't think so, you look pale and you have a slight fever."  
  
"Frank, move I'm going to be sick again." Elaina pushes past him to the restroom.  
  
He went to get the water she left by his seat. "You may not want this, but drink it."  
  
Elaina took the bottle from him and washed her mouth out then sipped some of it. "Did you say Megan was sick?"  
  
"Yeah, come to think of it she was spending time with her head in the toilet." Frank laughed at how he said it.  
  
"Thank you for that picture." Elaina went to walk but had to lean on Frank when she came out.  
  
"You better lie down the rest of the way." He barely finished his sentence when she passed out. "I didn't mean for you to do that."  
  
Jake saw it happen and he went over to help Frank put her on the sofa. "Something you said?" Jake asks smiling at his boss.  
  
Frank called Monica and told her what had happened and that he wanted Elaina's doctor there to check her out, instead of taking her to the hospital. When they arrived home the doctor confirmed the suspicion that she had the flu as Megan had.  
  
"Monica I want to thank you for being here with the kids." Frank tells her.  
  
"I had fun taking care of them, especially Sarah. You'll be at work tomorrow won't you?" Monica asks as she picks up her bag.  
  
"If Elaina isn't any worse I will be. Hope you don't catch it."  
  
"That makes two of us but I have had a flu shot so maybe I won't. Aren't you afraid that you'll get it?"  
  
"Like you I've had a flu shot. Elaina missed getting hers, she was supposed to get it last week and we all know where she was. Maybe this will teach her a lesson." Frank thought about that then added. "I doubt it."  
  
"From what I heard from Cody, you two had a big fight and her wedding ring was thrown in your drink?" "Cody didn't waste any time updating you did he?" Next time I hope she asks Cody for help then I'll know everything that happens. Frank laughed at the thought.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow. Good night." Monica left and Frank walked upstairs to check on Elaina.  
  
She was sound asleep; he closed the door and went to find Megan and Sarah.  
  
"Where's Daddy's little girl?" He asks as he hears giggling from her. Megan had made a tent out of the blankets and Sarah was hiding in it. "Well I guess she's not in here I better go look somewhere else.  
  
Sarah came crawling out from the blankets. "Here." Was the only thing she said.  
  
Frank sat down on the bed and held his little girl. "Mommy and I missed you and Derek while we were gone. I hope you miss us when we're away."  
  
"She does Frank, she looks for both of you when you leave. She always wants to go in your room, and takes her naps in there." Megan told him.  
  
"Derek use to do the same thing, when he was younger. We'd come home and Hank would tell us about him sleeping in there, even at night." He looked at Sarah, "Did Derek teach you to do that?" Sarah just smiled at him. 


	2. A Secret Reveiled

Chapter Two  
  
After a week of rest Elaina was back to work. She and Frank had not seen much of each other due to his staying in the guest room to give her time to get well and his work. He would come in to check on her before and after work but she was usually asleep when he did.  
  
Today when he came home he was surprised to see luggage in the entryway. "Elaina are you going somewhere again?" He yelled not knowing where she was.  
  
Elaina came out from the kitchen. "Why are you yelling?" She asks as he points to the suitcases. "Those belong to our guest."  
  
"Who's here, Reese?" Frank asks as he looked up the stairs.  
  
"No, not Reese, but you do have the right side of the family." Elaina kisses him to welcome him home.  
  
"If it's not Reese then it must be your Mom and Dad." He looked at the stairs to see Derek coming down. "Hey Derek who's here? Your mom is playing 20 questions."  
  
"Aunt Miranda's here." Derek replies as he went into the kitchen.  
  
"Not for long she isn't!" Frank blurted out.  
  
"She's my sister and she can stay if she wants. This is my house too." Elaina didn't want to fight with him.  
  
"She's not staying in this house." Frank was adamant about it.  
  
"First you can't stand to be around Reese, now it's my sister. Is there any member of my family you get along with?"  
  
"Just your parents and you, and at times it can be a toss up about you."  
  
"Very funny, Miranda stays."  
  
Derek comes back out of the kitchen. "Can you guys have a conversation without yelling?"  
  
"Stay out of it Derek." His mother said it as an order.  
  
"I live here too and I hear every argument you two have, it's getting really old. I wish you'd act like adults once in a while." He says as he heads back to his room, leaving Frank and Elaina staring at each other.  
  
"I guess he told us." Elaina says as she starts to laugh.  
  
"Should we ground him for life?"  
  
"I think he just grounded us. He's right we have been fighting way too much."  
  
"Yeah but we always kiss and make up." Frank says kissing her.  
  
"Is that why you make me angry, so we can fight and make up?" Elaina asks as he kisses her again. "Or should I say make out?"  
  
Someone at the top of the stairs interrupted them. "Hello Frankie, nice to see you again."  
  
"Miranda, turned any tricks lately?"  
  
"Frank!" Elaina punches him in the arm.  
  
"Go to hell Frank!" Miranda hated him as much as he hated her. "Can we talk now, then I'll leave?"  
  
"The sooner the better." Frank walks up the stairs past her and went into his room.  
  
"Are you feeling better? Being pregnant zaps your energy sometimes." Elaina rubbed her sisters protruding belly. "How far along did you say?"  
  
"Seven months give or take. I thought the father was going to marry me but we broke up before I could tell him I was having his baby."  
  
"Why did you break up?" Elaina saw that it bothered her to think about it.  
  
"I saw him with another woman, turned out he lied to me. He was already married and has three kids." Miranda started to cry.  
  
Elaina let her cry for a few minutes. "How did you meet him?" Elaina was curious.  
  
"I work at a restaurant that he comes to everyday for lunch. He always smiled and would talk to me when I waited on his table. One day he asked me out, and we started dating."  
  
"Didn't he have a tan mark or anything to tell you he was married? It's not like you haven't been with married men before." Elaina wished she hadn't added the last statement. "Sorry, I said that."  
  
"It's okay, you're right when, I was hooking I didn't care if they were married or not. Remember what you said once. If you were to look up the word slut my picture would be there." Miranda laughed.  
  
"Glad you can laugh now, back when I said it you decked me." Elaina rubbed her jaw remembering the dental work afterward.  
  
"I've changed a lot in the past couple of years. I'm not walking the streets, doing drugs or anything else illegal. I love my job at the restaurant, I feel down right respectable now."  
  
"But you allowed yourself to be used by a man again." Elaina stated.  
  
"I didn't allow it, I was blinded by love. I really thought I had found my one true love the way you did with Frank."  
  
"How long were the two of you together?" Elaina could tell by the look on Miranda's face she wasn't going to like the answer.  
  
"We were together for about seven months." Miranda wouldn't look her in the eyes.  
  
"Tell me you didn't say."  
  
Miranda cut her off. "I know I didn't take much time jumping in bed with him."  
  
"Why should he be any different?" Frank had come downstairs after changing clothes.  
  
"Get out of here!" Elaina ordered him. "She doesn't need your comments."  
  
"Let's face, it she can't keep her legs together." Elaina hit him hard across the face.  
  
"She's not like that anymore you know that."  
  
Frank was massaging his face from her hitting him. "Seems to me she's the same old Miranda, only difference is that she didn't get paid, unless you call the baby payment."  
  
"You didn't pay me either Frankie." Miranda finally let out their secret.  
  
Frank grabbed Miranda by the throat. "I told you what would happen if you told her."  
  
"Frank let go of her now!" Elaina screamed at him as she pushed him away.  
  
Megan came to the stairs. "What's going on? The kids can hear you."  
  
"Meg take them out of the house go for a drive, anything, just leave us alone please." Elaina was trying to control her anger, but it was difficult under the revelation that occurred.  
  
Elaina heard Megan call Derek from his room and brought Sarah downstairs. "Hurry up Derek." Megan called again.  
  
Derek came down the stairs; he didn't say anything to his parents as he walked by them. Frank wondered if he had heard what was said.  
  
After they went out Elaina let her anger loose. "What the hell is she talking about Frank?!"  
  
"I'll tell you Lainie, when you were recovering, he came to me for comfort." Miranda had forgotten how much she loved revenge.  
  
"You lying little bitch! I didn't go to you. She came to my." Frank stopped he didn't know how to explain it to her. But he had to; the truth would never come from Miranda. "Reese and I went out one night. He thought I could use some time away from home. I drank too much. I vaguely remember getting into bed. When I woke up she was lying next to me. I don't remember any more than that."  
  
"Fill in the blanks Miranda, with the truth." Elaina tried again to get control of her emotions, but they were like a runaway roller coaster.  
  
"When Reese and Frank came home they were both pretty loud and drunk. I looked to see if they woke you or Sarah but you both slept through it. I went down stairs to tell them to be quiet. Reese told me that Frank was passed out in the safe room." Miranda felt Frank watching her.  
  
She continued. "I went back upstairs and laid down. You have to remember that this was the first time we had seen each other since you arrested my boyfriend and I was still angry with you."  
  
Elaina interrupted her. "Your so called boyfriend was your pimp and drug supplier that's why he was arrested. So you're telling me you did it on purpose."  
  
"Yes, I wanted to hurt you and sleeping with Frank was the only way I knew to do it. He never knew it was me, he called me Elaina, when we were together."  
  
Elaina looked at Frank. He turned away from her when their eyes met. 'You truly didn't know, why did you hide it from me all this time?' She didn't ask it out loud; she would later when they were alone.  
  
Miranda continued her account of what happened. "When he woke up and saw me, he threatened me to not say anything to you. He said it never happened."  
  
"I want you to get your bags, call a cab and leave. You want to stay with family you go to Reese or our parents. I don't want you here ever again." Elaina turned her attention to Frank as Miranda went upstairs.  
  
"I only want you to tell me why you never wanted me to know. Then pack your bags and leave too."  
  
"I'm not leaving my own house E, I don't care how angry you are, and you're not throwing me out." Frank argued back.  
  
"Why did you never tell me? You should have told me before now." She was hitting him with every word she spoke, he deserved more than that.  
  
"I didn't think you could handle it in the state you were in then. You were very weak. I didn't want to upset you during your recovery. I never meant to hurt you." Frank explains.  
  
"I always thought I could tell when you were lying or hiding something from me. I guess I was wrong. I never had a clue that it had happened." She walked away from him. "How can I trust you after this?"  
  
"I know it was wrong to keep it from you this long." He tried to hold her but she resisted him. "Please believe me; I never ever wanted another woman other than you. You are my one and only love. You have to know that in your heart." He tried to hold her again, this time she let him until he tried to kiss her.  
  
"Don't try to make up to me right now. My heart is telling me to forgive you, but my mind is telling me to beat the hell out of you." Elaina walks out of the room to the office at the end of the hall.  
  
She sat down at the desk. She looked over to see a picture of her and Frank together with Miranda. She studied the picture then realized that Frank had his arm around Miranda too. She threw the picture at the door right as Frank was walking toward it. He stood in the doorway watching her cry.  
  
"Elaina, do you still want me to leave, I can stay at our apartment in town." He voice was almost a whisper as he said it.  
  
Elaina sighed deeply, to control her sobs. "No, you can move your things into the guest room after Miranda leaves. That way the children will still have you here." Frank went to leave the room. "Frank. I'd like for you to tell your team to stay away from here for now. Tell them we'll take care of the horses for them. You can tell them what you wish about our problems you do seem to be good at hiding things."  
  
"I'll call them now." He left the office and picked up the picture she had thrown. He looked at it and he even realized why she had tossed it out of the room.  
  
Elaina went back to the living room and stood in the window watching Derek and Sarah playing ball. Miranda came down stairs with the rest of her things. "I called a cab, it should be here soon. I'll be staying with Reese until the baby is born."  
  
"What will you do then?" Not that Elaina cared.  
  
"The baby will be put up for adoption. I'll go back to work." Miranda went over to her sister. "I came here for a specific reason."  
  
"To ruin my marriage, you certainly did that." Elaina glared at her.  
  
"No! I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry I said it, I was angry with Frank for what he said; you know I have a bad temper just like you. I came here to ask you a favor and now I can't possibly ask you. I really screwed up our lives, I'm so sorry."  
  
"What was the favor?" Elaina was a little curious.  
  
"Forget it. It's too much for me to ask you. Especially now." Miranda turned to leave.  
  
"Just say it Miranda, let me decide if I'll do it or not!" Elaina was yelling again.  
  
Frank came downstairs and stood next to Elaina after hearing her yelling at Miranda. "Miranda leave her alone like she asked you to do."  
  
"Miranda ask me your favor and get it over with." Elaina calmly says to her.  
  
"I was going to ask that you and Frank adopt my baby and give it a good home." Elaina and Frank stared at each other in disbelief.  
  
"Are you going to answer her?" Frank asks.  
  
"Not without discussing it with you at a later date. Lord knows I can't deal with this right now."  
  
"Why don't you keep the baby maybe you'll grow-up with it." Frank's comment was met again with a slap in the face, this time from Miranda.  
  
"I should learn to stand away from Blakely women when I say things like that." Frank says rubbing his cheek.  
  
"I'm not cut out to be a mother; I don't have the maternal instincts that a loving mother should have. I feel nothing for this baby."  
  
"Miranda our mother and father always told us that things happen for a reason. Your getting pregnant has a reason. That reason is maybe to give you someone that will show you the unconditional love you have been seeking all this time."  
  
Miranda stood there letting what she said soak in. "I never thought of it like that before. I guess I need to think all this through some more."  
  
Megan came in the front door. "There's a cab out here waiting."  
  
"That's mine." Miranda told Megan. "Lainie I hope you forgive Frank, I don't care if you ever forgive me or not. But you two love each other too much to let me break it. You belong with Frank; he has always loved you and only you." She picked up her things and left.  
  
Elaina turns to Frank. "You can move into the guest room now." She walked over to the door; Megan was sitting on the sidewalk with Sarah. "All of you can come back in now."  
  
"I thought Aunt Miranda was staying a while?" Derek questions his mother.  
  
"She had a change in plans. Why don't you go change and Megan can take you both out for dinner, I don't feel like cooking tonight?"  
  
"Can we just order pizza? I have to study for a test." Derek asks.  
  
"I guess that will be okay." Elaina wished they would have gone out but didn't push it. Derek hugged his mom and whispered to her, "Are you going to tell me what really happened?"  
  
"Not everything. It's between me and your father, no one else." Her eyes let him know not to question her about it.  
  
Elaina watched Megan helping Sarah climb the stairs. Megan held on tight to her top so if she stumbled she would catch her. After going up five steps Sarah turned to look at her mother. "Momma."  
  
Elaina walked over and picked up her daughter. "What's wrong, run out of steam?" The little girl giggled and hugged her mommy's neck. Elaina returned the hug all the way up the steps.  
  
Frank came out of the guest room as Sarah and Elaina made it to the top. "She missed her nap earlier; I think I'll lay down with her for awhile."  
  
"Daddy." Sarah held her arms out for Frank to take her. They walked into their room and sat down. When Elaina saw them together her heart seemed to explode into a million pieces.  
  
"I wish I could let him hold me like that, but I'm still not sure I can trust myself with him." She thought to herself as her mind and heart continued their debate.  
  
"Down." Sarah started to wiggle from her father's lap. "Mommy." She held her arms up for Elaina again. "Sing."  
  
"You're giving orders right and left, aren't you?" Sarah shook her head in no particular direction but she thought she was answering her mommy.  
  
Frank laughed at her. "How about we use the tape that Cody made of Mommy singing? Mommy's throat is too sore to sing to you tonight."  
  
Frank went to his daughter's room to get the tape. He put it in the wall stereo; when the lullaby started he adjusted the volume. He kissed his daughter and walked to the door.  
  
As much as he wanted to be next to them he knew Elaina wouldn't allow it. He had hurt her so much and now he had to suffer the consequences. 'I only hope you realize that I will never leave you even if you try to push me away. We are meant to be together.' 


	3. Secret Twin

Chapter 3  
  
A week went by slowly as Elaina and Frank didn't talk to each other unless they were with the children. They never discussed what had happened. When at work his team noticed a change in him, he was withdrawn, more than he was when he met them.  
  
Today when Frank arrived at work, Alex and Jake were outside having a heated argument.  
  
"Why didn't you hang up or tell him at least he was interrupting our dinner. I bet you didn't want him to know that you had moved on with someone else." Jake was yelling and Frank decided to break it up.  
  
"I didn't want to hang up on him. That was the first call I have had from him since he left. I just wanted to know how he was. I didn't know we were going to talk that long." Alex said defending her actions. "Besides you know I have feelings for Cortez, before we even hooked up."  
  
"You still have feelings for him, you just admitted it."  
  
"Excuse me, you two are at work. Have your personal discussions at home where they belong." Frank says as he walked to the door.  
  
"Yeah like when you and Elaina did in Texas. We were working then, look how that turned out." Jake's statement made Frank stop from opening the door.  
  
"Agent Shaw your mouth is getting your ass in deep trouble." Jake was angry enough to take a punch at Frank.  
  
Frank blocked the punch and landed one of his own, knocking Jake down. "Stay down Jake." Frank yelled standing over him.  
  
"Enough! Back off Agent Donovan!" Frank turned to see Elaina walking up to them. "All of you inside now!"  
  
As they entered Elaina called to the others inside. "I want everyone at the table." She waited for everyone to be seated. Frank kept pacing back and forth in back of them.  
  
"Alex, Jake this is your first and only warning. Get your personal life together on your own time, not here." She looked at Cody and Sab. "Sabrina, Cody you have been having troubles too separating personal and professional lives. Keep your hands to yourself at work."  
  
"How did she know?" Sab whispered to Monica.  
  
"Agent Kells, do you have something to say?" Frank asked.  
  
"No sir." Sab replies, she had forgotten he was pacing behind them.  
  
"We warned all of you what would happen. Just keep it up and you'll find yourselves transferred." Frank stressed to them.  
  
"Agent Donovan." Elaina turned on Frank. "You have been having personal problems too; I know that as a fact because I have the same problem." She was trying to be professional as she spoke to him. "Letting your anger out by hitting one of your team members is not acceptable behavior to me. Do it again you'll be suspended."  
  
Frank seemed to ignore what she said to him. "Why are you here?"  
  
"I have an assignment; you'll be protecting two agents. One is getting death threats the other is being stalked. We haven't been able to trace any of threats yet."  
  
"We're not babysitters."  
  
"No you are federal agents sworn to protect. So you are going to protect two agents." Elaina countered. "The first agent is Maria Andrews. I know Cody knows her from the academy they were in the same class." That piece of information did not get past Sab. She stared at Cody with wide eyes. Cody tried not to look at Sab's stare, but it was hard for him to do so.  
  
"We were in the same class but I didn't talk that much to her. We barely know each other." Cody finally explains for Sab's benefit not anyone else.  
  
"Are you through Cody?" Frank asks. Cody nodded his head.  
  
"Maria has been pulled from her current case and placed in the custody of the marshals but I want this team to take over protecting her. This guy just about blew her cover. He has been writing her, calling her and showing up when she least expects him." Elaina took a file out and showed them a picture. "This is Gabriel Thomas. He was at the nightclub Maria was working in while undercover. Maria only remembers that he asked her to dance a few times when she was on break. She was a singer there, D.E.A suspected the club was a front for drug dealing and she was about to get us the evidence we needed when Thomas started harassing her every night."  
  
"What about that case, are we going to handle that too?" Monica asks.  
  
"No, I have already placed another agent there." Elaina replies. Frank looks at her. "Don't worry it isn't me."  
  
"Who's the other agent getting the threats?" Jake asks.  
  
She wished he hadn't asked. "Elaina Blakely Donovan." Elaina replies as she watched Frank's look of shock turn to anger.  
  
"Again you keep something life threatening from me?"  
  
She ignores him. "My threats have been coming in to my office email. She handed them each a file. "These are copies of the threats made to me I rarely give my office email out so how they got it is a mystery. The source of the email hasn't been found yet."  
  
"We should get you both in a safe house and then we can concentrate on finding who is after both of you." Frank says looking at the file.  
  
"I'm not going in any safe house." Elaina protested. "If I."  
  
"You just put us in charge of your protection and you will go where I tell you to!" Frank yelled.  
  
"You know where you can go too!"  
  
"Here we go again." Alex says under her breath.  
  
"Fine you want your children to go through the rest of their lives without a mother, get yourself killed. I give up trying to understand your thought process." Frank went up to his office and slammed the door.  
  
"I'll be right back, excuse me." Elaina walked up the stairs trying to put her self in his shoes. She knew he was right, she was just being bull headed due to their personal problems. In a way this was personal too, she had kept it from him to get back at him. She tried the door; he had locked it. "Open the door Donovan!" She waited to hear the door unlock when it didn't she took her keys out and unlocked it herself. Frank heard the key in the door. "How did you get a key?" He asks as the door opens.  
  
"You shouldn't leave your keys lying around for me to copy. I knew it would come in handy one day."  
  
"I guess I need to change the lock now."  
  
"I think it's time we cleared the air."  
  
"We don't discuss our private matters at work. That's the number one Donovan rule, and so far you're still a Donovan." Frank says as he turns back to his files on his desk.  
  
"I'll always be a Donovan. We're not getting a divorce. As far as the rules go, to hell with them. Our disagreeing on everything has to stop and stop right now. We have our personal problems flowing into the professional just like your team; I can't take the tension between us in both places. You know my objection to being in the safe house has to do with the kids. I'm away from them enough; I'm not going to let a few threats take me away from them."  
  
"You can't let them be in danger either. And they would be if who ever is threatening you finds out about them. As a matter of fact someone should be watching."  
  
"I've taken care of it, Derek has a bodyguard at school and there is a guard at the house as of this morning." Elaina explained.  
  
She walked over to his side of the desk and leaned against it. She held his face in her hands and kissed him. "I'm tired of this life we have been living lately. I know that what happened between you and Miranda was not your fault and I forgive you for that. I also understand why you never told me about it; I don't like it that you didn't trust my love for you enough to think I could handle the truth."  
  
"I know that it hurt you to find out the way you did. I have kicked myself over the past week for never telling you."  
  
"Just remember this for future reference. There are two people in this world that know when you are lying, your mother and me. That's the one thing we have in common, we are both human lie detectors." Elaina says smiling. "And as far as hiding anything from each other, we are never going there again. We are going to be completely forthcoming with anything that is important and needs to be shared."  
  
"What about things that should be shared but aren't that important?" Frank smiled at her.  
  
"Don't mess with me Donovan." She patted his face. "I will never keep anything from you and you will do the same."  
  
"That sounded like an order." He laughed.  
  
"It was. Can you be serious, I am?"  
  
"I am serious. I love you and I don't want to fight any longer." He pulled her down on his lap.  
  
"I love you too." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want us to be back together the way we were when we first got married; we worked together without any complications then. We discussed everything, now we seem to fight over every discussion."  
  
Frank held her tight. "I want that too, and I believe that if we would quit trying to control each other it would help. I admit that your promotion has had a lot to do with my attitude lately; I'm not used to you being my boss again. I'm going to try harder to get use to that fact." "I think I can help with that. After this case I'm going to resign." Elaina replies.  
  
Frank stared at her. "You're serious, aren't you?"  
  
"I'm very serious I don't need the tension, neither do you and the kids. And I'm sure Sarah and Derek would love having me back home full time."  
  
"Sarah I know would, but Derek? I don't know, he's going to be 17 in a few days." Frank says thinking what she said over.  
  
Elaina was shocked. "Oh my God! I forgot my own son's birthday is coming up. How could I forget that?"  
  
"You've had a lot on your mind. Besides I just reminded you in plenty of time to plan something for him and buy presents. I think we should get him his own car."  
  
"He's saving for one."  
  
"I know but it would be a surprise for him. I even know the type of car he wants."  
  
"If that is what you want then we'll do it." She says as she kisses him.  
  
"That's it, we're not going to have this long .." She kisses him again to shut him up.  
  
"Don't push your luck I told you, we talk and we decide things together. It worked really well I think." Elaina says after she pulls away from him.  
  
"So you are going to a safe house with Maria and we can send the kids to Montana for a few days to visit Hank and we can have his car ready when he gets back for the party, that I'm sure you're planning as I speak. Sounds like a good plan to me." Frank says letting her pull away.  
  
"You're sneaky but I never said I was going in the safe house, but I will as long as you are my personal body guard at night."  
  
"I think that can be arranged." They then kiss each other losing all thought of the others downstairs.  
  
*******  
  
"Wonder what is taking them so long. It's been way too quite. Do you think they killed each other?" Cody asks staring at the door.  
  
"Maybe they're talking quietly, ever thought of that?" Monica suggests.  
  
"As mad as they were at each other I'm with Cody, I think they killed one another." Jake says agreeing with Cody.  
  
"Shall we take bets on when they will be coming down or if they will be coming down?" Sab asks turning to the team.  
  
"No betting, if they were to find out we were betting again they'll kill us." Cody stated.  
  
"You're just afraid that I would win again." Sab says poking Cody in the side.  
  
"There's that too."  
  
Jake went over to talk to Alex. "I want to apologize for this morning and last night. I was being a jerk." "Yes you were, but then so was I. Jake I think we would be better off just going back to what we were before last summer. We should just be partners, we were good together but we don't belong together."  
  
"I know you and Carlos should be together. I saw that in your eyes last night when you were talking to him. You're right, we should be friends and partners. Besides it will give Donovan and Elaina more time to watch over Cody and Sab, to keep them in line." Jake laughed.  
  
"Let's shake on it then partner." Alex held out her hand and Jake shook it, then they hugged each other as friends.  
  
*****  
  
Elaina and Frank came back downstairs a few minutes later.  
  
"I think we can finish now without any interruptions." Elaina looked at their faces. "Why are you looking at us like that; we behaved like adults?"  
  
"In more ways than one." Frank whispered in her ear.  
  
Jake walked up to them. "Alex and I have something to say before we get started again. We have decided to be friends and partners nothing more, nothing less. We think it is best all around."  
  
"As long as you can work together. I hope that our stormy relationship didn't sway you any." Elaina sounded worried.  
  
"No we came to the conclusion on our own. We haven't been honest with our selves about the relationship and last night seemed to bring it all out in the open for us." Alex explains.  
  
"Okay good, now back to the case." Frank says turning to Cody. "Cody I want to move Maria and Elaina into the apartment, it is close to here if we should need anything."  
  
"Why not just keep them here, we have sleeping quarters and all our equipment is here?" Cody suggests.  
  
"I want them to feel at home not locked in a dungeon." Frank explains. "I want you, Sabrina and Monica to go to the apartment and set up the equipment. I want cameras in every room. All hallways and the stairs."  
  
Elaina clears her throat to interrupt him. "Except the bathrooms and master bedroom. "  
  
"I know the drill it's not like I haven't done this before." Cody hated being told how to do his job.  
  
"Then get to it." Frank spun Cody's chair around to help him move quicker. "You can program our computer at the apartment to tie in here."  
  
"Will I need a password?" Cody asks.  
  
Frank wrote it down for him. "Before you go looking for any information about Agent Blakely or myself, forget it, there's nothing there."  
  
"I'm hurt that you'd think I would pry into your personal files." Cody pretended to pout.  
  
Frank threw a file at him. "Go while you still can."  
  
"Can't you two play nice once in a while?" Elaina scolded them as children.  
  
"Mom he started it." Cody pointed at Frank. "Cody get out of here before you get us all in trouble." Monica pushed him as they walked to the Operations Board to get the equipment.  
  
"Jake, Alex we need you to go and get Megan and the kids. Derek is in school, he has a bodyguard with him you can dismiss him. We have a password system with the principal too for him to get Derek out of class." Elaina looks to Frank as to what the password is. "It was your day to choose, what is it?"  
  
"Morocco." Frank said.  
  
"You watched Casablanca again last night didn't you?" Elaina asked knowing that it was their favorite movie.  
  
"How did you guess?" He smiled at her. "The principal will ask for it, don't volunteer it. It's our way of knowing they are keeping their word to us that he is taken care of there."  
  
"Take the baby seat out of my car." Elaina said as they walked out. She turned back to Frank. "That was really smooth Mr. Donovan."  
  
"What did I do now?"  
  
"You just found a way to be alone with me, because I know for a fact that Monica didn't need to go with Cody and Sabrina."  
  
"I wanted them to work not play around." Frank replies looking down at some files.  
  
"They wouldn't do that and you know it. They are professionals. The only ones with playing around on their minds are you and I." She says as she walks over to him.  
  
"Who said I wanted to play around. I thought we should go get Maria and take her to the apartment. We are professionals and should be able to keep her safe until Cody gets the cameras up and running." Frank suggests as he looks up at her.  
  
"That's true, but I think she is safer where she is right now."  
  
"You're not acting like a professional; will you please stop that." Elaina was kissing him and unbuttoning his shirt as she was talking.  
  
"You're talking too much; I have something else in mind." She put her arms around him and pulled him close to her. She could feel that he was not exactly turned off by her actions.  
  
"We can't do what you're wanting to do here." Frank says looking down at her.  
  
"Why not we're all alone?" She took his suit jacket off of him and threw it on the floor. She then tried to take his gun holster off but he stopped her.  
  
"I said not here, I have to work here remember? How can I concentrate knowing what we did here?" Frank protested and finally got away from her.  
  
"Okay, we could have gone to the apartment but you made that the safe house, we can't go home. Any suggestions?"  
  
"Yeah, you cool off and wait until tonight."  
  
"Are you forgetting that there will be other people in that apartment?" Elaina pouts.  
  
"So, our room is far away from the guest room and living room and there is no way they will suspect anything."  
  
"You are so deluded to think they would not suspect what we'd be doing."  
  
"They won't say a word about it. If they do we can make their lives miserable." Frank says giving an evil smirk.  
  
"Okay, I'll wait until tonight, but you better be worth the wait." She went and sat down on the stairs leading to his office.  
  
"What kind of statement was that? Have I never been worth the wait?" Frank says pretending to be offended.  
  
"Well let's see." She sat there and thought about. He came over and sat on the step in front of her.  
  
"Don't take all day to answer." He put his head in her lap; she bent down to kiss him.  
  
"I guess you've always been worth it." She wrapped her arms around his neck. She put her hand inside his shirt again.  
  
"You're not going to make this easy are you?"  
  
"Make what easy, waiting for the kids to get here which will take about an hour and a half and it will take Cody and the girls that long if not longer. So if you think I'm going to sit here on these steps with you that long without touching or kissing you forget it." Elaina replies.  
  
"Alright but you're not going to get what you want." Frank tried to clear his mind of her advances. He had to keep control, not let her win. But she knew how to sneak into his mind.  
  
She put her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "My love, I have a yearning deep inside. It is my soul wanting to touch yours." She felt the muscles in his shoulders tense. "Please hold me close and look into my eyes." Her hands massaged his chest muscles. "When we become one, your soul will dance with mine." She kissed his neck. "We will feel as if we are floating on air. As our souls kiss; the electricity we feel will be our souls making love, and forever we will be soul mates." She knew she had him then.  
  
"You'll try just about anything won't you?" He got up and took her by the hand and led her to the office.  
  
"I thought you didn't want to do anything here?" Elaina says as they entered the office.  
  
"Shut up and kiss me." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him and kissed her. Their passion for one another was over whelming. Their hearts raced taking their breath away.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do it in your office?" He didn't give her a spoken answer he just helped her undress and she returned the favor.  
  
He took a blanket from the couch and laid it on the floor then he helped her lay down. He laid beside her, kissing her face working his way down her body. She trembled with every kiss and touch of his hands. She wanted him more than she ever had; she had never had such an overwhelming feeling. "Frank." She called out to him he was there beside her but to her he felt far away.  
  
He realized that she needed to be held close. He pulled her on top of him and held her tight against him. She kissed his face and chest; she then massaged his body with her hands, he groaned as she moved down his body. All the muscles in his body tensed as she gave herself to him. They lay entangled with one another they couldn't speak but then they didn't have to, their actions said it all. ******  
  
At the apartment Cody was putting up the last camera in the stairway. Sab was helping and questioning him about Maria. "How well did you say you knew Maria?"  
  
"I told you we rarely talked." He was concentrating on the angle of the camera and not divulging information enough to suit her curiosity.  
  
"But you did talk to her, so tell me what is she like?" Sab says looking up at him from the bottom step of the ladder that he was standing on.  
  
"Well, she's about your height, auburn hair, blue eyes; she has a heart of gold, and legs that drive a man crazy." Cody says with a laugh teasing her.  
  
"Cody Forrester I'm gonna hurt you." Sab says as he hits his leg. "I really want to know about her."  
  
"We studied together a few times that's all. She wasn't very good with the technical aspect of the training so I helped her with it." Cody replies as he makes his way down the ladder.  
  
"But you rarely talked, huh? How did you help if you rarely talked?"  
  
"We were in a room with other people when we studied. We were never alone; does that make you feel better?" Cody asks as he reaches the bottom of the ladder.  
  
"I guess, so you won't be talking much to her during the case either, will you? I mean, there are no old times to talk about or anything like that." Sab says as she pulls him closer and looks up at him.  
  
"No. We do not have any fond memories to reminisce about. When are you going to realize that you are the one in my present and hopefully my future?" Cody says giving her a small kiss on the lips. "So don't worry about meeting her or my being there with her. We were just fellow agents in training that's all."  
  
"Okay, so there's no reason why I can't be there for all your conversations with her?"  
  
Cody growled at her and let her go. "You can be so infuriating at times."  
  
He turns and walks towards the other side of the room.  
  
Sab giggles as she follows him. "I've learned from the best. I've been taking lessons from Elaina."  
  
"Oh great, next thing I know you'll be shooting me." Cody says turning to face her.  
  
"Don't be silly, I would never do that to you." Sab says with a smirk. "Well, unless I was provoked."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." He handed her his toolbox. "Here carry this."  
  
"It's yours, you carry it." She sat it back down on the floor. "I'm not your helper, I'm your equal we share responsibilities."  
  
"Yes we do, I put the camera up you carry the tools; that's sharing."  
  
Cody starts to walk away as she picked up the toolbox again and hit Cody in the butt with it.  
  
"Ow!" He turns to her.  
  
"Sorry you moved too slow." Sab says with a smirk. "Yeah you're learning from her." Cody says rubbing the sore spot that the toolbox had hit. "Now I need to talk with Donovan to find out how to handle you."  
  
"Knowing what we know about them, I don't think he has a clue either."  
  
"Don't let him hear you say that." Cody sticks his head in the apartment door. "Monica, we're finished.  
  
"Let's go get lunch before we go back I'm starving." Monica says as they walked out of the apartment.  
  
******  
  
Later at the nest Frank and Elaina were sitting on the stairs waiting for the team to come back from their duties. When Alex and Jake arrived with Derek, Megan and Sarah they walked down to greet them. Sarah saw her parents and went running over to them. "Mommy!"  
  
"Hi there baby. How's my girl today?" Sarah hugged her mom then went over to her daddy.  
  
"Daddy up!" Sarah reached up her arms and Frank picked her up and sat her on his shoulders.  
  
"Last time you did that she was afraid." Elaina saw that at the moment it didn't bother the little girl. "She must like it now."  
  
When Frank moved Sarah grabbed him. "I'm not so sure; she has a death grip on my hair." Frank winced as Sarah pulled his hair. Megan helped him get her hand loose. "I should have known better. The women in this family are out to get me."  
  
"Quit you're whining, give her to me." Elaina says taking her daughter who was giggling. "Its not funny sweetie, Daddy loves his hair on his head not in your hand."  
  
Cody and the others arrive with food in hand. "Anyone hungry we brought lunch?" Cody says with a mouth full of food as he carries the bags over to the table.  
  
"I guess you already started." Jake jokes as Cody sets down a bag.  
  
"We have to talk to the kids first, you guys go ahead and eat then we have to get back to our case." Elaina and Frank took the kids and Megan to one of the other rooms.  
  
"What's going on? You know I have tests this week, three of them today." Derek asks his mom.  
  
"You're father and I want the three of you to go back to the ranch and be with Hank for a few days, maybe longer." Elaina saw that her son was not crazy with the idea.  
  
"No way, I'm staying right here." Derek says defiantly.  
  
"No your not, you heard your mother." Frank states.  
  
"I am staying; I have too much going on to up and leave now."  
  
"Excuse me? Your safety is more important to us than your ball games or tests, which you can make up. And if this has anything to do with your birthday, don't worry, we can celebrate it when you get back." Elaina explains.  
  
"My friends are throwing me a party, they can't cancel it now."  
  
"Why not? Your birthday is in a few days, that is plenty of time to cancel or reschedule." Elaina wondered why he was being so obnoxious.  
  
"I hate to interrupt this but I need to say something to you." Cody says walking up to Frank.  
  
"What is it?" Frank asks turning to the doorway.  
  
"You told me to program your computer to hook up with the ones here." Frank shook his head yes. "I needed to download our program in and I checked the space on your hard drive. I went in the files to see if I could make space for it. I found these hidden away." He gave Elaina a print out of the file.  
  
"Derek Collin Donovan! How could you do this?" She threw the papers at him. Megan took Sarah from the room away from the argument.  
  
Frank picked up one and read it. "Damn it, Derek, have you gone insane?" Frank yells at him.  
  
"I didn't do anything to hurt anyone?" Derek tries to explain.  
  
"What do you call scaring me with these threats? If not hurting me?" Elaina asks yelling at him.  
  
"I heard you talking to Maria about what was happening to her and how you were going to get Dad's team to protect her. All I wanted to do was get you and Dad back together. I thought if he had to protect you, things would get better between you both. I didn't think it would scare you that much. You've been threatened before." Derek explains.  
  
"You certainly didn't think I could tell that. I think it is time you learned a lesson the hard way. I want him arrested for threatening a federal agent. Cody do you want to do the honors?" Elaina asks turning to Cody.  
  
"Are you serious?" Cody asks not knowing if she was joking or not.  
  
"If you won't get Jake or someone that will. I am deadly serious. He's not going to get away with this prank." Elaina looked to Frank who was staring his son down. "Frank, I am serious."  
  
"Cody go get the handcuffs and arrest him like you were ordered." Frank says as Cody leaves the room in a hurry.  
  
"Mom you can't arrest me, I was never going to do anything to harm you." Derek pleads.  
  
"You already have done something and no I'm not arresting you, I'm pressing charges against you." Elaina replies.  
  
Jake walked in with the cuffs. "Cody said he couldn't do it." Jake walked over and put the cuffs on Derek. "Where are we going to keep him until the marshal's show up?"  
  
"Downstairs away from us would be my choice." Frank suggested.  
  
"Dad, you're going to let her do this?" Derek protests as he struggles with the cuffs.  
  
"You'll only make those tighter fighting them. She's my superior I can't go against her. You perpetrated a crime and you have to face the consequences of it." Frank explains to him.  
  
"Jake take him downstairs, I'll call the marshals." Elaina says walking out of the room, Frank following behind her. They watched Jake take Derek downstairs as she picked up the phone.  
  
"How long do we keep him there?" Frank asks when they were out of his site. "I figure about two hours and then Jake can take him back to school if he apologizes." Elaina wanted her son to know the fear she felt. "I want him to realize he can't get away with this. If he doesn't truly apologize after his stay downstairs, I just might go ahead and press charges." 


	4. Cody's Secret

CHAPTER 4  
  
Later at the apartment Frank and Elaina were still waiting for Derek to apologize and had brought him with them. Frank and Jake where sitting in the other room with Derek and Elaina was watching the monitors because Cody and Sabrina had taken Megan and Sarah home.  
  
Elaina opened the door when she sees Alex and Monica with Maria. "Hello ladies, any trouble along the way?"  
  
"No problems, smooth sailing." Maria answers as she walks in.  
  
Monica and Alex were looking back and forth from Maria to Elaina. "Is there something I'm missing?" Elaina asks seeing there confused looks.  
  
"You two separated at birth or something?" Alex hadn't noticed the resemblance until the two women stood together.  
  
"We're distant cousins." Maria laughs putting an arm around her cousin.  
  
"Has Frank met her before?" Monica asks.  
  
"No he hasn't, but he's about to he's in the living room with Derek and Jake."  
  
Elaina went to walk away and Monica stopped her. "Wait we want to get a good seat for this." Alex and Monica went into the room and sat down on the couch facing Frank and Derek.  
  
"What are you two staring at?" Frank looks up as he said it and saw Maria walk in with Elaina.  
  
"Wow!" Jake says staring at Elaina and Maria.  
  
"Frank, Jake this is my cousin, Agent Maria Andrews."  
  
Frank was stunned by how much they looked alike. The only differences between the two were Elaina's hair was long and deep red; Maria's was shorter and auburn. They were not the same age but they could pass for twins.  
  
"Don't even think about it." He says to Elaina.  
  
"Think about what?" Elaina had to keep herself from smiling. He knew her all too well. "Oh you mean the thought of my going to Maria's and try to get Thomas to make a move that we can arrest him for? Never entered my mind."  
  
"I think it's a great idea. It would get this over with a lot quicker." Maria was trying to sell the idea. "I really need to get back to work as soon as I can, and catching this guy fast is one of my highest priorities."  
  
"You have no priorities right now; you're the person in protective custody. You're not an agent on the case." Frank informed her.  
  
"I'm an agent on this case and I think we should do this my way. Let me pretend to be Maria and draw him out." Elaina looked at the others to see if they agreed.  
  
"I'm not letting you put yourself in danger now or ever. You are here as a supervisor only, you put me in charge of the case and that is how we are going to work." Frank says walking over to his wife.  
  
"That was when I thought I needed to be watched, but now that we know who the culprit of that is," Elaina made her point by smacking Derek on the back. "I can work this case the way I think it would best be quickly resolved."  
  
"I think we need to talk in private." Frank took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom. "You know I'm not going to let you do this. What even made you think I would fall for a plan like this?"  
  
"Oh I think you'll let me do it when I tell you that the sooner we get this resolved the sooner I can resign and get out of your way."  
  
"You're not getting in my way; you just get on my nerves at times that's all." Frank replies. "I know that you will keep your promise to resign no matter how long it takes to resolve this."  
  
"How are we going to flush him out into attempting anything if we don't give him a target to go after? Everyone here can see the resemblance and they know that my way would be an easy way to get it over with." Elaina explains.  
  
Frank sighs knowing he was losing again. "Just once can't you do things my way?"  
  
"Okay you tell me how you plan to resolve this quicker than my plan and I will concede."  
  
Frank turns away from her; he hadn't had time to actually form a plan. "I thought we would watch Thomas and see if he made any effort in trying to find her now that she is in hiding. We could tap his phone and bug his home and go wherever he leads us."  
  
"Why let him lead us when we can lead him?" Elaina asks.  
  
"Because my plan is safer for you and Maria." Frank replies turning back to her.  
  
"Let's be fair about this. We'll let the team vote on which plan they like best."  
  
"Let's see Sabrina will be on your side and that means she will sway Cody. Jake is a hot head like you which means he'll vote for your plan, Alex and Monica are pretty level headed they'd vote for my plan." Frank says.  
  
"That's three against two, I'd win." Elaina said triumphantly.  
  
"Not so fast, that is how I thought they would vote not how they will vote." Frank explains to her.  
  
"Ok dreamer, let's go see how we do."  
  
They walked back into the room and explained the two plans. Sabrina and Cody had returned from taking Megan and Sarah home. After the ladies and Cody had voted it was tied, Jake was to be the tiebreaker.  
  
"Both plans would work in the long run but if you want the quickest I would pick Elaina's." Elaina smiled at Frank. "But if you want to keep Elaina safe from harm too then I would have to pick Donovan's plan."  
  
"Will you decide already?" Frank told him.  
  
"Ok I vote for Elaina's plan because we are not to think personally on the job and your plan is doing just that and I don't want to break any rules." Jake's reasoning made Frank angry.  
  
"Fine, you can do it your way. I will stay here and protect Maria while the rest of you work with Agent Blakely." Frank says in defeat as he sits down in a chair.  
  
"I do believe I have hurt your pride and ego. But hey all's fair in love and war. Shall we make our plans team?" Elaina motioned for Jake and the girls to follow her into the other room with Cody, so they could talk.  
  
"Derek don't ever marry a woman like your mother, you do I'll disown you." Frank says as he knows that they are alone.  
  
Derek laughed for the first time since he was arrested. "If I ever make that mistake you can have me committed unless Mom has already committed you."  
  
********  
  
Elaina and the team made their plans to get Gabriel Thomas out of the picture. Meanwhile Frank took Derek home and checked on Sarah. When they arrived home the lights were all out except one.  
  
"Looks like Megan is still up." Frank pointed to the lit window. "Be quite going in, we don't want to wake Sarah."  
  
When they went in they heard giggling in the dark and then something grabbed Frank's leg. He managed to turn the light on and saw Sarah wrapped around him. "Why are you down here in the dark?" He picked her up. "Megan?"  
  
"I'm right here." She was sitting in the hallway.  
  
"Why is she in here alone with the lights off?" Frank was not pleased.  
  
"At least I'm not the one in trouble this time." Derek kissed his little sister and went up stairs.  
  
"I was watching from the hall she thought it would be fun."  
  
"She's not old enough to have thought of this? I think you helped just a little."  
  
"Okay so I thought it would be funny. She wouldn't have done it if she was scared." Megan explains as she pats Sarah's back.  
  
"She'll do almost anything if she thinks it's a game. You should know better than to let her be alone, especially in the dark. How did you know it was us that pulled up, it could have been anyone?" Frank was very angry with Megan.  
  
"I'm sorry it won't happen again, but I knew it was you. Elaina called me when you left, so we watched for your headlights." Megan replies in her defense.  
  
"Just don't ever let this happen again." Frank took Sarah upstairs.  
  
"It won't I promise." Megan followed them up.  
  
"Okay princess it's time you went to sleep. You had your fun for the night."  
  
"Mommy?" Sarah asks looking around.  
  
"Mommy is working, not that Daddy likes that she is but you know your mommy." Frank sat down in the rocking chair with her. He saw her teddy bear nearby and handed it to her. "I'll stay with you until you and teddy fall asleep."  
  
Frank rocked her but she was fighting sleep, she would sit up and play with the bear. "You like to make nighttime a game don't you?" Sarah laughed, and threw the bear down. She reached for it almost falling off his lap. "Ok we get the bear and we hold on to it this time." He picked it up and held it too so she couldn't throw it again. He had played that game before. He let her settle then started rocking again. He started humming the lullaby that Elaina would sing to her. 'If I sang it sweetie no one would sleep tonight.' Frank thought to himself.  
  
*****  
  
Back at the apartment Elaina and Maria were talking about their childhood together. The rest of the team was playing poker in the kitchen.  
  
"Maria, do you remember when we went camping in Glacier Park when we were younger?" Elaina asks leaning back in her chair.  
  
"Yeah, we had a lot of fun that year. Miranda, you and me the three musketeers. Let's see you were 23 and Miranda and I were 16 I think. Oh yeah, that was the place we met those two good-looking boys at the lake. Do you remember?" Maria asks with a smirk.  
  
"Oh yeah. How can I forget two teenage boys skinny dipping in a lake and my teenage sister and cousin drooling over them?"  
  
"Wonder what ever happened to them?"  
  
"I married one of them." Elaina replies watching her cousin's expression.  
  
"Collin was one of them?" Maria asks.  
  
"No. Frank was he was about 15 then. I didn't know it until I was talking to him one day. I guess he had changed enough I never made the connection. Lord knows we changed a lot in our looks, we change our hair color every year it seems not to mention you don't have braces now and my face changed a little too, but I'm not going to talk about that." Thinking about that was too painful even now. "Besides we never exchanged names exactly, we used our nicknames and they never gave theirs."  
  
"Wow, I thought you said you met Frank while on a case, that is one hell of a coincidence?"  
  
"That's what I thought but when we were talking one day we remembered the time at the lake. He thought I was kidding until I showed him a picture of me back then." Elaina replies.  
  
"You and he have been thrown together over the years, no wonder you got married."  
  
"Yeah, yeah everyone says we were meant to be together. I never believed that until recently. We have been realizing just how often our paths did cross. It's kind of scary actually."  
  
Sabrina walked in to sit with them.  
  
"Hey, they take all your money?" Maria asks.  
  
"No I was winning; I just thought someone else would like to win a few hands so I bowed out gracefully." Sab says taking a seat on the other side of Maria.  
  
"They asked you to leave right?" Elaina winked at her.  
  
"You know them pretty well."  
  
"Yes I do, and I know how you love to win. You two have not been formally introduced yet. Sabrina Kells this in my cousin and friend Agent Maria Andrews. Maria this is Sab as she likes to be called." The two women shook hands. "Nice to meet you, Cody told me you were in the academy together." Sab says.  
  
"Yes we were we had a lot of fun together. We were the class clowns I think." Maria says laughing a bit at the thought.  
  
"Oh really?! He never said anything like that. He told me that you studied together a few times." Sab stated.  
  
"Excuse me I'm going to get something to drink. You girls have a nice long chat."  
  
"Believe me we will." Sab says looking to make sure Cody wasn't around.  
  
Elaina went into the kitchen and walked over to Cody. "You're in a lot of trouble young man."  
  
"What did I do?" Cody asks still looking down at his cards.  
  
"Maria and Sab are talking about the good old days of you and Maria being the class clowns of the academy." Elaina tried not to laugh as Cody realized he was a dead man.  
  
"I'm out. I need to get in there." Cody says as he throws down his cards and heads for the doorway but Elaina stops him. "You're a little too late on the trigger there babe, she is going to draw and quarter you. Your only hope is if you beg for mercy."  
  
Everyone was laughing except Cody. "Great just have a good laugh, I'll survive this I think." Cody says as he went into the room with Sab and Maria.  
  
"Cody so glad you could join us. Sab and I were just discussing about when you and I used to study together in my apartment."  
  
"Yes I think it was really nice of you to go that extra mile to help Maria make it through the academy. By going to her apartment to study." Sab was emphasizing each word with a slap to his leg each one harder than the last one. She also sounded a bit angry.  
  
"I helped the best I could." Cody massaged his leg. "I would like to thank you for telling Sab this; you don't know how thrilled I am that the two of you are getting to know each other so well." Cody was being sarcastic.  
  
"Oh I think Maria and I are going to be best buddies don't you Maria?" Sab asks turning to her.  
  
"Sure thing Sab. You, me and Cody we'll make great buddies." The two women began laughing seeing Cody sink into the couch knowing he was in more trouble than he thought.  
  
***** 


	5. The stalker

Chapter 5  
  
The next day everyone was getting ready to help Elaina with the plan. Elaina was to go to Maria's apartment and pick up a few things. Alex had gotten a wig that matched Maria's hair color and Elaina cut it to match the style. Elaina put make up on which she rarely used; she never cared for it. When she was ready she came out of the bedroom and stood beside Maria for everyone's inspection.  
  
"Well what do you think, will she pass as me?" Maria put her head next to Elaina's.  
  
"If I didn't know better I would say you were twins." Frank replies.  
  
"Yeah, you do know better." Elaina winked at him. "Don't get us mixed up either."  
  
"I'm going to be with you all day." Frank smiled and put his arm around Maria.  
  
"Very funny, I am carrying a gun you know." Elaina grabs him and pulls him to her.  
  
"I was just teasing, I knew which one you were."  
  
"Likely story. Cody do you have my mic and ear piece ready." Elaina asks turning to him.  
  
"Yep right here. Just as you ordered." He handed her the equipment and she put the earpiece in. The mic was actually a bracelet.  
  
"You do good work Cody. I'm gonna have to give you a raise before I resign." Elaina says as she puts the bracelet on.  
  
"Before you what?" Jake asks stunned.  
  
"What did he do to you to get you to resign?" Monica wondered.  
  
"Wait a minute, Frank didn't do anything. He was just as shocked to hear the news as you all are." Elaina explains. "I decided on my own. My working is just not making me a very easy person to be married too."  
  
"See it is his fault." Cody says pointing to Frank.  
  
"No, it is my fault. I love my job but I am married and have children who love and need me more than the government does. I have been going through a lot of stress lately and that will stop with my becoming a full time wife and mother again."  
  
"But we do need you; we can't break in someone as kind and loving as you. The next person may not like us at all and then you know who will be stressed out as much as you." Cody pointed to Frank again.  
  
"Cody, I know you all like me and the feeling is mutual but I really need to quit and take it easy. There is more happening in my life than you are aware of."  
  
"Won't you at least think about reconsidering?" Cody asks.  
  
"Cody I promise to find the best replacement I can, but I am resigning, I promised my family." She looked at Frank.  
  
"I think it's time to put this plan in action. Sabrina and Jake will be in a car following and I am going to be your personal bodyguard." Frank told her.  
  
"That wasn't the plan but I'll adjust to it." Elaina didn't feel like arguing.  
  
The phone rang. "Your private line Elaina." Cody informed her.  
  
Elaina answered the phone, looking over Cody's shoulder to notice who it was. "Hello?"  
  
"Elaina this is Dr. Nathan. I would like to see you today if that is possible?"  
  
"Actually it isn't I'm working can you tell me why?"  
  
"It's about the test we ran the other day during your check up." Dr. Nathan explains.  
  
"What about them?" Elaina walks into the bedroom with the phone.  
  
"Must be a private call." Maria says watching her leave.  
  
"Sir." Cody pointed to the caller ID. Frank looked at it and went to the bedroom with Elaina.  
  
"Thank you Doc, I'll get back to you soon." Elaina turned the phone off as Frank entered the room.  
  
"What's wrong, you look scared?" He walked over and sat on the bed next to her.  
  
Tears formed in her eyes. "I went for a check up last week. The ultrasound turned up something."  
  
"Not again?" Frank held her close to him; Elaina shook her head yes as she started to cry. "When are you going to see him again?"  
  
"After the case is over, he said that would be fine."  
  
"Then he must not think it is a reoccurrence?"  
  
"He's not sure but it is small and could be nothing. I thought I was over all this, I really don't need it right now." Frank handed her a box of tissues.  
  
"I know, I'm here to help you through it no matter what it turns out to be."  
  
"I know you are" She seemed to change before his eyes as she had many times before. "I think we should get going to Maria's place and see what happens." She checked her make up and went outside leaving him sitting on the bed to collect himself.  
  
"We're ready now." Elaina says as Frank came out of the room.  
  
"Elaina are you okay?" Maria noticed that her cousin had been crying.  
  
"I feel fine don't worry, I have the best bodyguard in the world watching over me."  
  
"If you say so cousin." Maria knew there was something wrong but didn't pressure her.  
  
*****  
  
Frank and Elaina went to Maria's apartment followed by Jake and Sabrina. "What are you going to do while we're here?" Frank asks her. "And remember he may have bugged her place, she said she felt as if he was listening and watching her."  
  
"Just pack a few things Maria wants and look around to see if Thomas has been in there." She unlocked the door and they stepped in to see that someone had and they had destroyed the furniture and bashed in the computer and tore the phone apart. Frank signed to her to act as Maria.  
  
"What the hell happened here? I leave for a few days and this is what I come home to." Elaina yells acting like Maria.  
  
"Don't touch anything until the police get here." Frank pretended to make a call to the police in case Thomas was listening.  
  
"Well I hope they hurry, I suddenly want out of here. I'm going to the bedroom and pack a few things, I can stay with you right?"  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way. This jerk needs to be found before he hurts you." Frank says as he hangs up his cell phone.  
  
"I'm glad I fell in love with a guy that can also be my bodyguard."  
  
"With a body like yours it needs protecting all the time." Frank smiled at her.  
  
She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at their conversation. "Thanks for the compliment Babe. I knew I kept you around for something other than the sex. You're good for my ego too."  
  
This time Frank had to keep himself from laughing. Sab came over the headset. "There is a Mustang that just pulled up out front. Windows are tinted and we can't see who it is."  
  
"I think I'll go check things out back. Stay in here okay?" Frank walked through the house and out the back door. "Jake take a walk and see who's in the car."  
  
"I'm already on it." Jake walked on the same side of the street as the Mustang. As he passed it he looked at the license plate. "It has to be him the license plate has been altered. You don't notice until you look close. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Get back to the car in case he decides to take off. I'm going to walk over and see what happens." Frank says walking back in the house.  
  
Elaina came into the room and looked at him as if he were crazy. She signed to him. 'Please be careful he may have a gun.'  
  
Frank signed back. 'I am always careful.' He smiled at her and walked out the front door.  
  
Elaina watched as he approached the car. She saw that he had his gun behind his back; the car started and pulled out almost hitting Frank who jumped out of the way. Elaina rushed out the door to make sure he was okay. The car stopped as Elaina rushed out she drew her gun as she saw the window roll down, Thomas shot at her as she raised hers. His shot hit her in the chest. She fell to the ground as Frank fired at Thomas's car as he took off again. "Elaina are you okay?"  
  
"I am fine. Just got the wind knocked out of me. What about you, you're limping?" Elaina replies getting off the ground.  
  
"It's just twisted it doesn't hurt that much. Jake where are you?"  
  
"We're two cars in back of him; we're in too much traffic to get near him." Sabrina answers.  
  
"Don't lose him when he stops take him." Elaina ordered. "I'll drive back; you shouldn't with your ankle hurt."  
  
"I'm perfectly capable of driving." Frank limped to the driver's side and got in.  
  
"You can barely stand on it. You just don't like my driving." Elaina got in the other side.  
  
"You are one scary woman when you get behind the wheel." Frank states as he starts the engine.  
  
"I was trained to drive offensively; I was in the secret service for a while."  
  
"Two weeks and the president had you transferred." Frank says looking to her.  
  
"I saved his ass didn't I?"  
  
"Which he appreciated I'm sure after they peeled him from the back seat. You scared him more than the shooting did."  
  
Jake interrupted their conversation. "He seems to be going home."  
  
"Make sure he gets away from the car so he doesn't take off again. Shoot only if you have to." Frank ordered. "We're on our way there."  
  
"At least we know one thing."  
  
"What?" Frank asks turning back to her.  
  
"I fooled him into thinking I was Maria. But why shoot her if he wants her for himself?"  
  
"You having a gun may have caused it."  
  
"Maria has all the reason in the world to shoot at him, but why would he want her dead?"  
  
"Because she has a new love in her life thanks to our conversation, he probably went crazy with jealousy."  
  
"I guess if I want to know for sure I'll have to just ask him." Elaina says as they round a corner.  
  
"There's a thought." Frank says sarcastically.  
  
They drove to Thomas' apartment but saw no sign of Jake or Sab.  
  
"We're here, Jake, Sabrina where are you?" Elaina asks getting out of the car.  
  
Sabrina answered first. "I'm at the fire escape. Jake went to his apartment."  
  
"Why isn't he saying anything? Jake?" Elaina was starting to worry. "I'm going up there you stay here."  
  
"Why you?" Frank asks.  
  
"Because you can barely walk let alone run or fight, and I gave you an order."  
  
"Alright but be careful you've been shot once already tonight."  
  
"You don't have to remind me the pain is doing that." She wished she hadn't told him that but she walked into the building before he could protest.  
  
She took the stairs watching and listening. As she reached the second floor where Thomas lived she heard voices. She recognized one voice as Jake. The other was unfamiliar to her. She eased the stair door open to see Jake in the hallway talking to someone.  
  
"My partner and I would like for the tenants to keep their apartments when we restore the building that's why we're here to talk to everyone door to door." Jake says.  
  
Jake saw her and motioned for her to come over. "Mr. Thomas I'd like you to meet my partner."  
  
Thomas turned to see who he thought was Maria. He went in the apartment slamming the door.  
  
Jake kicked it open as he heard Sabrina. "Federal agent." Thomas raised his gun at Sabrina. Jake, Elaina fired at once as Sab moved out of sight.  
  
Elaina and Jake holstered their guns. "He didn't recognize you as the one that walked by him?"  
  
"He said I looked familiar, told him I had that kind of face." Jake replies.  
  
"Ambulance or morgue?" Elaina asks Sab as she was checking him for a pulse.  
  
"Ambulance, he's still with us barely." Sab says getting off the floor.  
  
"Cody did you hear that?" Frank asks coming in the door.  
  
"I hear ya loud and clear it's on the way."  
  
"Still obeying orders I see." Elaina walked over to where he was leaning against the wall.  
  
"Just wanted to prove to you I can work with pain too." He touched her vest where the bullet hole was. Elaina just stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Oh that's mature. Let's go home I need an ice pack. Meet us back at the apartment when you're through here." Frank says as they walked out.  
  
"Ok boss." Jake and Sabrina looked around the apartment and found a shrine made to Maria. "This guy was really sick. He has pictures of her everywhere, while she was working, jogging, shopping." Jake observed.  
  
"Whoa, look at this one it's Maria and Elaina talking at a café." Sabrina showed Jake the picture. "This must be when Elaina pulled her. Elaina is looking right in the camera at him." The ambulance showed up as they went back in with Thomas who was mumbling Maria's name. 


	6. Elaina's Health secret

Chapter 6  
  
Back at the apartment Sab and Jake arrive to find Frank sitting on the couch with his ankle packed in ice and Elaina lying asleep on his shoulder. Cody, Alex, Monica and Maria were in the kitchen eating. "Save any food for us?" Sab took the sandwich that Cody was eating.  
  
"Can't you make your own?" Cody grabbed it back before she could eat it. "Better yet let me make one for you."  
  
Cody went to the countertop and proceeded to make Sab's sandwich. "Here you go my lady." He handed her the sandwich.  
  
Sab bit into in and spit it back out very quickly and grabbed a drink. "What the hell did you put on this?" Cody was laughing so hard he didn't notice she was taking a swing at him.  
  
She knocked him of his chair making him land at Jakes feet. "If I were you Cody I would stay down there."  
  
"I can't believe you would put Tabasco Sauce on my sandwich. Jake is right you stay down there." Sab yells him. "And also I'm still mad at you from earlier."  
  
Sab walks to the counter to fix herself another sandwich.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Cody says getting off the floor. "I didn't think you wanted to know I went out with Maria in the academy."  
  
Sab turns around with anger in her eyes. "You went out with her?"  
  
"She didn't tell you?" Cody asks as he feels as if he stepped into it.  
  
"Uh no." Sab yells at him.  
  
"Cody, I'd run like mad if I were you." Jake says putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You don't have to tell me twice." Cody says as Sab continues to stare at him furiously.  
  
They were getting too loud with their laughing and talking and Frank threw a pillow into the room to get their attention. Alex and Monica looked in that direction.  
  
"Quite down in there." He whispered.  
  
"Hey we're getting too loud, Boss says to quite down." Alex told all of them.  
  
"I'm not asleep I'm just resting my eyes." Elaina looks up at Frank.  
  
"They were still too loud. Do you want to tell Maria what is going on, I can tell the others to go home?" Frank asks her.  
  
"Do you have any objections to my telling them too?"  
  
"It's up to you, they do care about you."  
  
"Hey could everyone come in here I want to say something." Elaina yelled right in Frank's ear. "Sorry didn't mean to do that."  
  
"That's okay I can read lips now that I'm deaf." He laughed and she playfully smacked him in the head.  
  
The team and Maria walked in wondering what she would have to say. "I suppose you want us to leave now that the case is over?" Maria asks.  
  
"Not really, it isn't over until he is in jail permanently. I have to tell you all something. I should tell you Maria in private but I don't think I could say it twice. So please forgive me."  
  
Seeing her cousin's distress she held her hand. "Go ahead I'll understand."  
  
"As Cody knows I had a call from my doctor this morning. Last week I had my semiannual check up. One of my tests came back with bad news."  
  
She saw everyone start to worry about what was going to be said. "When I was pregnant with Sarah, I found out that I also had a tumor in one of my ovaries. They said it was cancer, and that I should have it removed. They also wanted to terminate the pregnancy so I could have therapy, when I refused I knew that my chances were going to go steadily down hill of beating it." Elaina explains. "The complications that I had stemmed from the tumor growing as Sarah did, it caused the premature labor and the bleeding. Now my doctor thinks that it maybe coming back." Elaina got up and walked away from them she wasn't ready for too many questions.  
  
Maria followed her cousin. "When are you going in the hospital?"  
  
"I have to call tomorrow to set it up."  
  
"Do you want me to be there with you and Frank?"  
  
"I would very much like that. I'm sure Frank would appreciate someone waiting with him." She hugged Maria.  
  
"I guess I should go back in there, Frank is probably getting a lot of questions thrown at him." She looked in to see that Frank was talking quietly to the team.  
  
"Both of you seem to be pretty open about your lives to them." Maria's observation made Elaina laugh. "What's so funny?"  
  
"I am more open than Frank, he would have them in the dark yet that we are married, except that last summer during vacation things happened that caused the change."  
  
"Sab and Cody told me some of what happened."  
  
"If you want to know anything those are the two to talk too." They walked back in and Elaina sat back down next to Frank.  
  
"What questions have you had to answer?" Elaina asks.  
  
"When are you going? What will be done? Can they be there?" Frank replies.  
  
"What were your answers?"  
  
"You'll call tomorrow. Surgery. And they had to ask you."  
  
"I don't mind if they want to wait, but if they have assignments they are to work first." She looked at all of them as she said it. "The justice department won't stop sending cases just because your boss is on sick leave."  
  
"I thought you were resigning now that this case is over?" Cody asked hopeful that she changed her mind.  
  
"I have a few loose ends to take care of, but I will resign."  
  
"If you need a sitter on Megan's day off one of us will fill in. If we are not working." Monica stressed.  
  
"I will remember that." Frank replies.  
  
"I think we should get back to the nest and leave them alone." Alex suggests.  
  
"You don't have to leave right away."  
  
"Yes they do they have paper work to do right?" Frank wanted them to leave.  
  
"Right." They all said together.  
  
"Maria you might want to stay at a hotel your place is a mess." Elaina told her.  
  
"Not necessary she can stay with me tonight." Sab offered.  
  
"I think I'll take you up on that Sab." Maria and Sab both saw that Cody felt uneasy about the two of them being alone to talk about him.  
  
"All of you drive safe and take care." Elaina says as the phone rang. "I'll get it don't move." She said it to Frank. "Hello..okay thank you for calling. That was the guard at the hospital Thomas didn't make it, seems your problems are over with Maria."  
  
"Thank goodness I can go back to work now." Maria sighed.  
  
"You two are alike." Frank says staring at Elaina. "You both love your work."  
  
"I just like making the world a safer place." Maria giggled as they all left.  
  
"I didn't think they would ever leave." Frank says trying to stand on his ankle.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"No where, I just wanted to see if I could stand." Frank replies.  
  
"You can, now try walking."  
  
Frank walked over to her without much trouble. "See all better now."  
  
"Liar it hurts like hell. I can tell remember." She put her arms around his waist and he took his weight off his ankle. "You should have it x-rayed."  
  
"It's only twisted it will be fine in the morning. Don't worry about me; I want to talk to you."  
  
"About what? My not resigning as fast as you thought?"  
  
"I told you on the way here that I didn't want you to resign yet." Frank says.  
  
"That is definitely puzzling me. Why do you want me to wait?" Elaina asks.  
  
"I don't want you to wait; I don't want you to resign exactly."  
  
"You have been after me to quit for months, why the change?"  
  
"I never wanted you to quit altogether, just field assignments. You'll drive the family crazy if you quit completely."  
  
"I want to quit and you're going to stop me from doing it?" Elaina asks surprised.  
  
"If you want to quit then quit, but don't say I didn't try to stop you."  
  
"So that's the reason, you just don't want to take the blame for my resigning?"  
  
Frank sighed. "It has to be your decision."  
  
"Okay I will reconsider it. I do have to talk to Andy anyway; I was going to ask him to take over while I was out on sick leave."  
  
"He's a good choice."  
  
"I come up with good ideas too. Like the one I'm coming up with now if you're up to it." She kissed him.  
  
"I definitely like that idea, lead the way."  
  
"More like support you the way." Elaina giggles.  
  
"Move it lady. The pain is going away as we speak."  
  
"I must be a miracle worker if that kiss took away the pain." She held on to him as they walked to the bedroom.  
  
**********  
  
The next morning at Sab's apartment, Maria made breakfast for the two of them. "Good morning Sab. Hope you're hungry, when I get worried I cook.  
  
"I think I can manage a little something to eat. I'm worried too. Do you think that her cancer is coming back?"  
  
"Elaina kept her true feelings from me, but she is scared that it is. If it is caught early she has a better chance of beating it again." Maria explains.  
  
"Why wouldn't the doctors have taken both ovaries the first time?" Sab asks sitting down at the counter.  
  
"It's the hormone thing. If the cancer had not spread to the other ovary they keep them in for hormone production. It's healthier for the woman."  
  
"Yeah, but now she has to go through surgery again and who knows what else."  
  
"Could you imagine the mood swings she's going to have now?" Maria asks.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sab asks in confusion.  
  
"She has always had trouble with her temper and moods, but with a hormone imbalance like she's going to have, let's just say I'm glad I don't live with her."  
  
"I'm sure the doctor will give her hormone replacement therapy won't he?"  
  
"I hope so for Frank's sake. Not to mention every person in a 20 mile radius of her." Maria laughed. "I'm sorry I also tend to make bad jokes when I'm upset and worried."  
  
"Laughter is the best medicine or so they say." Sab says as she stares off at the counter.  
  
"Something wrong?" Maria asks taking a seat on the other side.  
  
"It's nothing." Sab says looking up at her.  
  
"It's about how Cody never told you we went out, right?"  
  
"Yeah, a little." Sab replies. "I don't like it when he keeps things from me."  
  
"Well that was in the past. He actually helped me out more then just school." Maria says.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"During school I was an alcoholic and that was also why my grades were failing. Cody was asked to tutor me and one night he found me drunk and put two and two together." Maria explains. "He helped me to get help and we grew closer during that time and we started dating. But it didn't last long. We knew we were better off as friends. That's probably part of the reason why he didn't tell you. He didn't want anyone to know about my past."  
  
"Oh." Sab says as a knock at the door interrupts them.  
  
"That's probably Cody to pick me up." Sab went to the door. "We don't want any, sell to the neighbors."  
  
"I come bearing gifts." Cody answers.  
  
"Gifts?" Sab opens the door. Cody had both hands behind his back. "Gimme, gimme. What do you have for me?"  
  
"Not just for you." He handed Sab a bouquet of white roses with one red rose in the middle. "These are for you and these are for Maria." He handed Maria a bouquet of pink carnations with one white rose in the center.  
  
"You remembered all these years." Maria was surprised.  
  
"Remembered what?" Sab was suspicious as to what she meant.  
  
"This is the arrangement that Elaina and her sister Miranda would send on my birthday. Reese on the other hand would send deep red almost black roses with one white in the center."  
  
"Is it your birthday today?"  
  
"No I just wanted to cheer you both up. I knew you'd be worried." Cody explained.  
  
"Thank you Cody." Maria kissed him on the cheek. "I think we both needed cheering up. I just hope Frank is keeping Elaina's spirits up."  
  
"I sent flowers to the apartment too, from all of us. Hope you don't mind."  
  
"That was very thoughtful of you Cody. No wonder I love you so much." Sab kissed him deeply.  
  
"What was that for?" Cody asks as Sab pulls away from him.  
  
"Nothing. Just for being as sweet as you are."  
  
******  
  
At the apartment Frank was cooking breakfast, when Elaina came from the bedroom. "So much for breakfast in bed." He kissed her good morning.  
  
"I'm willing to go back to bed if you had your heart set on it." She put her arms around him and held him tight. "I have a question for you first."  
  
"What would my lady like to know?"  
  
She waved her hand in his face. "Your lady would like to have her wedding ring back."  
  
"I lost it." He went back to cooking.  
  
"Liar. Where is it?" She searched his pant pockets. "Frank I want my ring back now!"  
  
"Okay I'll get it." He walked over to his jacket and removed a chain for its pocket. "I put it on here with mine so it would be with me even when I'm working." He took it off the chain and put the chain around his neck.  
  
"Wait a minute." She took the chain back from his neck and took his ring off it. "Give me your hand." He held out his hand and she placed the ring on his finger. "They know that you are married there is no reason for you not to wear it."  
  
"Your hand Lady." She held out her hand and he placed the ring on her finger and kissed it. "Next time I won't give it back."  
  
"There won't be a next time. Cross my heart and hope to. I guess under the circumstances that may not be a good thing to say." There was a knock at the door.  
  
Frank answered the door and was given the flowers. "These must be for you. Here's the card." He handed her the card and flowers. He went back to finishing breakfast. He saw that she had tears in her eyes as he came back to the table. "Who are they from?"  
  
"The team and Maria. My guess is that Cody sent them his name is first." She showed him the card.  
  
"Why don't you call and thank them later?" Frank suggested.  
  
Elaina looked at the clock. "I think I should be making another call that is more important don't you think?"  
  
"I suppose you should get it over with." He handed her the phone.  
  
"Well here we go." She dialed the phone and waited. "Yes this is Mrs. Donovan; I would like to talk to Dr. Nathan please. Yes I will hold." Elaina waited for the doctor to answer.  
  
"Elaina, how do you feel?" Dr. Nathan asks as he gets on the other line.  
  
"Why does every doctor ask that question?"  
  
"Because we're doctors."  
  
"Okay, when do you want me for more tests?"  
  
"When can you get to St. Augustine's?" Dr. Nathan asks.  
  
"That soon? I can be there this afternoon, about 1:00. I have something to do at the office first." Elaina replies.  
  
"That will be fine. I'll have a room waiting for you. See you then."  
  
Elaina hung up the phone and stared at it. "Is there anyway I can get away with not going this afternoon?"  
  
"No, I'll be there right beside you." He set the plate in front of her. "Eat your breakfast."  
  
"I'm not hungry, but I'll eat to make you happy."  
  
"It would make me very happy. Then we need to get home and talk to Derek and Megan."  
  
"I would rather wait until I know for sure what is going on."  
  
"I already called and kept him home today, we're going to tell him this morning."  
  
"Yes sir." She ate her breakfast and then went to get dressed.  
  
******  
  
Later that morning at the nest the team was making out their reports as Frank and Elaina arrived. "What are you guys doing here?" Monica was surprised to see them; Elaina walked over and sat down with her.  
  
"Last I heard I still work here." Frank says walking to his office. "I called Andy Rawlinson he's going to come by here so I can speak to him. Instead of driving to my office and then back to the hospital."  
  
"So you're going in today?" Alex came over to join her and Monica.  
  
"No time like the present." Elaina smiled weakly.  
  
"Have you talked to Derek yet?"  
  
"We just got back from there. He took it the way I thought he would. He wanted to be with me today too, but I don't want him there."  
  
Jake walked over and sat with them. "How about I go riding and keep Derek occupied today."  
  
"You can if you don't have any work to do here. I would like for him to have someone around to talk to. He doesn't open up to Megan."  
  
Frank came back downstairs and joined them.  
  
"What are those three up to?" He was looking at Cody, Maria and Sab.  
  
"I'm not sure they been over there since we got here. I'll just go find out then." Elaina walks over to them. "Why aren't you huddled with us? Planning a bank robbery or something?"  
  
"Something, but we can't say what just yet." Maria smiled at her cousin.  
  
"I know that smile from the past. I never cared for it then or now. What are you planning?"  
  
"That's for us to know and you to find out later." Sab replies.  
  
"Okay I won't ask anymore questions, I think I figured it out. By the way thanks for the flowers they were beautiful." She had noticed they glanced at Frank while they were being questioned. She walked back over and sat down next to him. "You have them planning a party for Derek don't you, knowing I might be in the hospital for his birthday?"  
  
"Cody told you didn't he?" Frank looked at Cody accusingly.  
  
"Nope you did by asking what they were up to." Elaina smiled.  
  
"I didn't want you to have to worry about it."  
  
"So you called them from your office and told them what to do. That was really sneaky."  
  
"Not sneaky enough though." Jake observed. "You figured it out."  
  
"I'm just a damn good agent. Right Frank?" She slapped him on the arm.  
  
"Agent Rawlinson is here." Cody was looking at the security monitors.  
  
"Good, can I use your office?" Elaina asks.  
  
"What if I said no?" Frank answers.  
  
"I'll do it anyway." Elaina met Andy as he walked in. "Hello Andy. We'll go up to Frank's office to talk." They went upstairs and she finds the door is locked. She took out her keys to unlock it. "He does this to irritate me."  
  
"When did he put the sign up?" Andy asked pointing to a sign as they entered.  
  
It read: Check all weapons at the door.  
  
"That's new to me. Must have done it recently, I was here the other day, never mind." Elaina says remembering the last time she was in the office. "Well I'm going to ask you straight out. How would you like to take over for me?"  
  
"Take over your job? Why?" Andy asks in confusion.  
  
"I have to go on sick leave for a while. I thought you might want to get a taste of how it feels to be Boss for a while."  
  
"May I ask why you're going on sick leave?"  
  
"I need to have some test done, probably surgery." Elaina replies.  
  
"How long will you be gone?"  
  
"A few weeks to start. I've been kicking around the idea of resigning, but we haven't made up my mind yet."  
  
"You mean Frank is against you resigning?" Andy thought that hard to believe.  
  
"I find it hard to believe, but last night he acted differently when I mentioned it. He told me to wait a while."  
  
"Isn't it your decision to make?"  
  
"We have decided all major decisions are to be made together whether it be home or work. So do you want to take over while I'm out or not?" Elaina asks.  
  
"Sure I think I can handle it. Frank and I seem to get along well."  
  
"Well I know that you can do it. If the others give you a hard time, I will be back and kick their asses.  
  
"They probably won't, knowing you as they do." Andy says.  
  
"At times I think I've told them too much about me. They aren't as scared of me as they should be. So as of now you are acting Special Agent in charge of this division." Elaina shook his hand. "Good luck you're going to need it." Elaina opened the door.  
  
"Did you have to say that?" They both laughed as they walked out the door together.  
  
"Okay guys this is your temporary boss while I'm out of commission. Play nice, he is just as mean as I am." Elaina winked at him.  
  
"He looks pretty tame to me." Alex says.  
  
"Looks can be deceiving Agent Cross." Andy smiled at her. "I'll see you later Elaina, I hope everything goes okay. Frank take good care of her."  
  
"I plan to don't worry." Frank walked him to the door. "We better be going ourselves." He said walking over to Elaina.  
  
"I don't want to go."  
  
"Lady get up." He pulled on her arm. "Let go of the chair you big baby."  
  
"I hate hospitals have I ever mentioned that before?" Elaina asks whining.  
  
"Yes!" came from all the team.  
  
"Well I guess Frank will let you know what happens. Jake again thanks for going out with Derek." Elaina says as she gets out of her chair.  
  
"I'm going right now. Think positive okay?" Jake kisses her on the cheek.  
  
"Don't kiss my wife." Frank pushes Jake playfully.  
  
"Let's go before I really chicken out." They left the nest and headed to the hospital.  
  
"I really hope she gets good news. She doesn't deserve anything bad." Monica says as she went back to writing her report.  
  
"She was putting up a brave front until she had to leave. That was the first time I saw actual fear in her eyes." Alex adds.  
  
*****  
  
At the hospital Elaina was given several tests. Maria arrived after she helped make the plans for the party. It was early evening by the time they were done with the tests. When Elaina came back to her room she was tired and fell asleep. The doctor called Frank into the hallway so they wouldn't disturb her.  
  
"I have some of the tests back and they are very encouraging, I won't know for sure until we get the rest of them back. I would still like for her to have the tumor and ovary removed as soon as possible." The doctor explains.  
  
"Even if the tests show there's no cancer?"  
  
"Yes. There is a possibility that she could develop more tumors if we don't remove it." Dr. Nathan replies. "I'll discuss this with her in the morning. You both need to get some rest. Good night."  
  
"Thank you Doc." Frank went back in and sat next to Elaina.  
  
Maria walked over to him and softly asked. "Was it good news?"  
  
"He said encouraging, but still waiting on the rest of the tests."  
  
"I hope they are all encouraging."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Elaina heard Frank's voice and woke up. "How long have I been asleep?"  
  
"Not long about a half hour. Just go back to sleep you need your rest." Frank replies.  
  
"Has the doctor been here?" Elaina asks sitting up.  
  
"We just talked; he only has some of the test back." Frank replies as he helps her get comfortable. "He still wants you to have the surgery no matter what the tests show."  
  
"What did he say about the results so far?"  
  
Frank sighed he didn't want to her to get her hopes up. "He said he would talk to you in the morning about them."  
  
"It's bad news I knew it."  
  
"Why are you being so negative?" Maria asks.  
  
"If there was good news he would tell me not make me suffer all night waiting."  
  
"Listen I want you to quit worrying about the tests for now. Why don't you just try to get some rest?" Frank asks.  
  
"You tell me one more time to get some rest and you'll be sharing this room with me." Elaina threatens him.  
  
"Frank I think you should tell her." Maria suggests.  
  
"Hiding something again Frank?"  
  
"Doc said that the tests were encouraging, but that didn't mean that the other test would be the same."  
  
She turned away from him in the bed. "Thanks for telling me, now be quite so I can sleep."  
  
"Wait a minute no discussion as to why I kept it from you?" Frank asks in confusion.  
  
"You were just trying to protect me; at least I hope that is why you did it."  
  
"It is." He leaned over and kissed her good night. "I'll be right here if you want anything."  
  
"I'm going back to Sabrina's she's letting me stay there until I get my house fixed up. If you need me call, okay." Maria says.  
  
"I will. Good night and thanks for being here." Frank walked her to the door and a nurse came in to check on Elaina.  
  
"I'm sorry but the doctor said to let you know he scheduled surgery for you first thing in the morning. He would have told you but he had an emergency."  
  
"Why do I feel I was left out of the loop deciding about surgery?" Elaina asks.  
  
"He knows you too well to let you think about it. He did say it was needed." Frank replies walking back over to the bed.  
  
"I know but he is forcing the issue a little."  
  
"You can always have it rescheduled if you need more time to think about it."  
  
"No I want to get it over with. The doctor knows that and so do you. Sit here and hold me till I go to sleep." She moved over in the bed and he got in beside her. She kissed him and settled in tight next to him as he put his arms around her. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too my Lady." He held her close as she drifted off to sleep. After he knew she was asleep he left the room to make a few phone calls.  
  
"Reese, this is Frank. Elaina is in the hospital." Frank says as Reese picks up.  
  
"What happened?" Reese asks.  
  
"She has another tumor we don't know if it's cancer yet. She's having surgery in the morning." Frank explains.  
  
"I'll be there as soon as I can."  
  
"Don't let Miranda come she won't be welcomed here."  
  
"I understand. I don't think she'll want to come. I'll call Mom and Dad for you." Reese offers.  
  
"Thanks I'd appreciate that."  
  
"I'll leave after I make the call see you soon Frank."  
  
"Okay thanks again."  
  
*****  
  
The next morning early Jake woke Derek to go to the hospital. "Rise and shine Derek we need to leave in a half hour."  
  
"Thanks for staying here last night. I hope you slept okay." Derek says as he turns over.  
  
"Except for the one time Sarah cried, I did pretty well." Jake replies.  
  
"I was out like a light, I didn't hear her. Was she okay?" Derek asks.  
  
"Meg said she had a bad dream, she rocked her back to sleep."  
  
"Do you think Mom would want Sarah there?"  
  
"She probably would but I think we should let your parents decide when she goes."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"Now get moving or well be late." Jake pulled the blankets off of him to get him to move.  
  
*****  
  
At Sab's place she and Maria were getting ready to go. "Maria are you sure Frank wants us there? I mean I know that Elaina said it was okay but I wasn't sure he would want us there."  
  
"Elaina considers all of you as extended family."  
  
"Did she pick up strays as a child? She seems to be the type." Sab giggled.  
  
"Come to think of it she did have a stray cat she took care of once." Maria replies also giggling.  
  
"She has become a great friend of mine; I have some one close by to tell my troubles to."  
  
"Sorry to hear you have troubles but then we all do at some point. Elaina is a terrific friend to have as long as you don't cross her. Then she can be your worst enemy."  
  
"I've seen that side of her a few times and she is scary to be around."  
  
*****  
  
At the hospital they were prepping Elaina for surgery when the Doctor showed up with the rest of the results. "Good morning how's my patient?"  
  
"I would like to know when I could go home after the surgery."  
  
"Barring no complications I'll let you go tomorrow. That is the earliest I will let you go so don't protest." Dr. Nathan explains.  
  
"I'm not going to protest, but what kind of complications are you referring to?" Elaina asks worried.  
  
"What the biopsy shows from the tumor."  
  
"What did the other test results show?"  
  
"They don't show any sign that you have cancer."  
  
"That's great news right?" Frank asks.  
  
"Not really the biopsy could show that it is cancer and that the tests aren't picking it up yet?"  
  
"How often does that happen?" Elaina asked scared of the answer.  
  
"Not very."  
  
"So you are just trying to scare me to death."  
  
"I'm doing my job of informing you of all possibilities."  
  
"Thank you Doc." Frank says.  
  
"I'll leave the two of you alone for a while. The orderlies will be here in a little while to take you to surgery." He left the room.  
  
"I'll be glad when this is over with. The time seems to be dragging." Elaina sighs.  
  
There was a knock at the door they both looked and saw Jake and Derek. "Don't just stand there come see your Mom." Frank says to Derek.  
  
"Hi, are you feeling okay?" Derek sits on the edge of the bed. Elaina hugs him.  
  
"I'm fine sweetie; this surgery is just a way of keeping anything bad from developing." Elaina explains to him.  
  
"I was worried about you. Jake stayed at the house last night, we talked and it helped me cope with all this. I just wish I could have been here with you and Dad." Derek says as he hugs her.  
  
"I know that is what you wanted, but I think I made the right decision in keeping you away."  
  
"I love you Mom." He gave his mom another bear hug.  
  
"I love you too sweetie. I want you to keep your Dad in line while I'm in surgery. Don't let him bother the nurses about how the surgery is going okay?"  
  
"I'll try you know how he is though." Derek jokes as he pulls away from her.  
  
"I'll help you Derek, I know where to get a pair of handcuffs if we have to use them." Jake jokes.  
  
"I'm in the same room you know." Frank pulls Derek off the bed so he could sit down. "Don't worry about any of us we will be fine. I promise to behave myself."  
  
"You better; I have witnesses to you saying that." They kissed so long that Derek and Jake stepped outside. "I think we just ran them out of the room."  
  
"I don't care." He kissed her again, this time they were interrupted by the orderlies.  
  
"Time to go Mrs. Donovan." One orderly said.  
  
"See you when you get out." Frank told her.  
  
Maria and Sab were waiting outside the door as Elaina was wheeled out. "We're keeping our figures crossed." Maria says. Elaina smiled as they took her away.  
  
******  
  
After the surgery Elaina slept almost the rest of the day. She would wake up but was too groggy to talk. It was evening before she woke up totally. "Hi Mom."  
  
"Hi Honey, What time is it?" Elaina says a bit groggy as she looks around for a clock.  
  
"About 7:00pm. We were beginning to think you were going to sleep until tomorrow." Derek says as he pulls his chair closer.  
  
"This has been the best sleep I've had in a few months, I was enjoying it. Where's your Dad?' Elaina asks as she notices that he wasn't in the room.  
  
"He went for a walk, want me to find him?" Derek offers.  
  
"He'll be back, I'll wait." Elaina says as she straightens herself in bed. "Has the doctor said anything about the surgery?"  
  
"Not yet but he did want to know when you are awake, I'll go tell the nurse. I'll be right back don't go anywhere."  
  
"I don't think I will." She watched him go out the door.  
  
Frank met Derek in the hallway. "Is your Mom awake?"  
  
"Yeah I was just going to tell the nurse and find you." Derek replies.  
  
Frank went in to the room and saw Elaina sitting up. "Are you sure you want to be sitting up so soon?"  
  
"I feel fine; so far I don't have any pain." Frank kisses her and gives her a hug. "That didn't hurt did it?"  
  
"No, I could use another hug and kiss." He did as she asked only this time she wouldn't let go.  
  
"I'm sure the doctor will be here soon and if you keep squeezing me this tight I'm going to be his next patient."  
  
"Sorry I'm just nervous." She broke her hold on him.  
  
Derek and the doctor walked in the room together. "How are you feeling"?  
  
"I guess you'll tell me."  
  
"I can stay right Mom?" Derek asks.  
  
"Sure you can. So don't keep us in suspense any longer." Elaina says turning to the doctor.  
  
"Well the biopsy showed there was a small amount of cancer." He saw the scared look on their faces and then smiled. "But that is actually good news. The tumor was enclosed in a sac, that sac is what protected you from the cancer spreading right away. We got it out in time and as far as I'm concerned you are in great shape for years to come."  
  
Elaina squealed with relief. "That is what I wanted to hear. Thank you, thank you, thank you." She hugged Derek and Frank. "Derek please go get Maria and who ever else is here, I want to tell them."  
  
"The room is going to fill up fast so I will leave you to tell the others. I'll make sure you are released tomorrow. I know better than to keep you here any longer than that." Stated the doctor.  
  
Derek led the rest of the group in to see Elaina. "Well the doctor was right this place did get full. Reese? I didn't know you were here."  
  
Reese came over and kissed her on the forehead. "Frank called me last night and I came in after you were already in surgery, my flight was delayed. That's what I get for not flying myself."  
  
"Why didn't you?"  
  
"I was too nervous and worried about you." Reese replies.  
  
"Well tell us the news we can't stand it any longer." Cody demanded. He and Sab were standing to together, him with his arms wrapped around her.  
  
"I'm going to be fine. If I had waited longer I wouldn't have been, but there is no cancer to reckon with." Elaina replies.  
  
"That's great we're so happy for you." Monica said.  
  
"No more dark clouds hanging over you, now cousin." Maria hugged her cousin.  
  
"Thanks to all of you for being here, you don't know how much it has meant to me." Elaina's smile seemed to brighten the room.  
  
"It's been a long day, I think I'm going to take Sab and Maria out to eat and then take them home. Anyone want to join us?" Cody offered.  
  
"If you're buying I'll go." Monica replies.  
  
"I'll stick around and take Derek back; he needs to tell Megan the news." Jake replies.  
  
"That's right, Derek you better go tell her before she gets mad at all of us." Frank told him.  
  
"Alex what are your plans?" Sab asks her.  
  
"If Jake and Derek don't mind, I'll go with them."  
  
"We don't mind do we Derek?" Jake asked. Derek shook his head no.  
  
"We'll see you all tomorrow when I get out of here." Elaina told them as they all filed out of the room. "Reese will you stay a few minutes please?"  
  
"Miranda told you what happened between us?"  
  
"Yes and she is very sorry about that too." Reese replies.  
  
"She should be. I want you to tell her that I still can't forgive her for what she did or how she brought it to light. I know what stress can do to a pregnancy I want her to concentrate on that. Someday we will talk, but that is a long way off." Elaina explains.  
  
"She wanted me to tell you that she is keeping the baby and that she wants you two as the Godparents." Reese adds.  
  
"She's amazing; after all of this she still thinks we would do that?" Frank asks.  
  
"She's hoping that you wouldn't deny her child the opportunity to have both of you in his life." Reese explains.  
  
"She's having a boy?" Elaina asks.  
  
"Yes. She found out last week. Will you do it for the sake of the baby?" Reese asks.  
  
She looked at Frank and he shook his head yes.  
  
"Alright for the baby's sake we'll do it." "She stifled a yawn.  
  
"I better let you rest so you can leave here tomorrow."  
  
"One more thing brother dear. You are just as much to blame as anyone; you are the one that took Frank out drinking that night." Elaina adds  
  
"I know that and I'm sorry too. Good night sis."  
  
"Good night big brother." Reese left the room.  
  
"Now that all the drama and uncertainty is over, I would like to say something to you Lady."  
  
"Before you do can I say something?" Elaina asks.  
  
"Sure, what is it?"  
  
"I love that you have gone back to calling me Lady. It's been a long time and I missed it." Elaina replies.  
  
"Tell you the truth I don't know why I ever stopped. Could have been our attitudes toward each other."  
  
"So what did you want to say to me?" Elaina asks.  
  
"If you will promise me not to go on field assignments, I will let you break your promise to resign. I know that you really don't want to quit all together and if you did I think there will still be tension in the marriage." Frank explains.  
  
"I told Andy I might resign, but I think I have a better idea as to how to handle my work load. I am going to give Andy more authority. We can work as equals running this division. That will help me have more free time and let him become better acquainted with how to do the job on a long-term basis." Elaina explains.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me. And I think Andy will like the idea too."  
  
"So you're positive you do not want me to resign, no regrets in the future?" Elaina asks.  
  
"I'm positive I'll have regrets in the future." He jokes.  
  
"Frank Donovan!"  
  
"Okay I'll have no regrets letting you not resign." He kisses her to seal the deal.  
  
******  
  
The next day Elaina came home from the hospital to see luggage in the hallway. "Why is that here and who does it belong too?" Elaina wondered.  
  
"Maria is staying here for a few days. Megan has a family crisis and has to go home." Frank replies.  
  
"What happened?" Elaina asks worriedly.  
  
"Her Mom and Dad were in an accident. Before you get too upset they are okay nothing too serious, she just wants to visit a while." Frank explains to her.  
  
"Good I'm glad they are okay, but why is Maria staying I thought she wanted to get back to work fast?"  
  
"She wants to spend some time with you and the kids and she took a leave of absence so she could." Maria came down stairs with Megan.  
  
"Am I being talked about?" Maria inquired. "You should be sitting down not standing here talking." She led Elaina over to the couch.  
  
"You're not going to mother hen me all the time you're here, are you?" Elaina asks as she sits down.  
  
"Only when I can get away with it." Maria giggles.  
  
"Where is this party supposed to be for our son tonight?" Elaina asks.  
  
"Here. Sab is coming over in a little bit to help decorate and Jake is keeping Derek occupied at the church playing basketball with the other boys there." Maria answers.  
  
"Frank will you help me up stairs I want to lay down for a while. I'm beginning to like this sleep thing I started in the hospital." Elaina says to her husband.  
  
"We made a bed up in the office for you so you don't have to take the stairs." Frank replies.  
  
"I thought you would carry me?"  
  
"Only if I have too. I don't want to end up in traction." Frank jokes.  
  
"Oh you will pay for that remark as soon as I figure out how."  
  
"That sounds promising."  
  
"You can be so ."  
  
"Loving and caring to my beautiful wife." Frank finishes off for her.  
  
"Man is it ever getting deep in here." Maria says laughing at them.  
  
"Okay take me to this bed you have made, just wake me an hour before the party so I can change."  
  
"What are you going to change into?" Frank teased.  
  
"I'm going to change into someone you don't want to mess with if you don't quit joking around." He took her to the office and lay next to her until she fell asleep.  
  
****** Sab and Maria decorated the living room with help from Frank and Cody moving the furniture around to make room for everyone. Elaina was up and supervising the work and tried to help when Maria wasn't looking.  
  
"I'm going to shower and change clothes; come on Lady if I don't get you out of here Maria is going to chain you down." Frank says to Elaina as he picked her up.  
  
"One smart remark about me being heavy I'll make sure you fall down the steps soon." Elaina warned him.  
  
"You are light as a feather my dear." Frank says climbing the stairs.  
  
******  
  
Later as the guest were arriving Frank and Elaina asked Derek to go outside with them to greet them. Alex was the last to arrive. A brand new Dodge Intrepid pulled up in front of Derek. Alex got out of it. "Wow that is a great car Alex. Did you just get it?" Derek asks admiring the car.  
  
"No I didn't. I picked it up for a friend." She handed Derek the keys.  
  
He looked to his Mom and Dad. "Is this mine?"  
  
"Until you get a speeding ticket it is." Frank warned. "Happy Birthday!"  
  
"Mom thanks I really didn't expect this after what I did. I really don't deserve this."  
  
"You're right you don't and you aren't actually going to drive it until you serve out your punishment." Elaina says as she took the keys back from him.  
  
"I understand." Derek went over and checked out the car.  
  
"Looks like everyone is here let's get this party going." Elaina says as they all walked in the house.  
  
The end. 


End file.
